Pastoral Support
At WMG Academy Solihull, every student matters. As a smaller academy, we get to know our young people well, building positive and trusting relationships that help us identify when extra support may be needed.
Our pastoral team provides a strong system of early help and intervention, which can include:
- support from form tutors and pastoral staff
- one-to-one or peer mentoring
- personalised support and regular check-ins
- liaison with families
- referral to specialist or external services
- access to our academy-based counselling service
Meet the pastoral team:
For most pastoral concerns, your child’s form tutor should be the first point of contact, with the appropriate Key Stage or Pastoral Lead becoming involved where additional support is required. Where necessary, we also work closely with safeguarding professionals, Local Authority services, School Nursing, Early Help and other specialist agencies.
Counselling
We provide an academy-based counselling service, giving students the opportunity to speak confidentially with a trained counsellor in a familiar, safe and supportive environment.
Counselling can help young people explore concerns including anxiety, stress, relationships, change, bereavement or difficult and traumatic experiences. Our counsellors listen without judgement and help students understand and work through their thoughts and feelings.
Counselling is voluntary and confidential. Students can access support through our pastoral system, including through their form tutor or Pastoral Lead. Sessions take place privately during the Academy day and are reviewed regularly according to each student’s individual needs.
Ev Clarke, Counsellor
Confidentiality is essential to building trust; however, if a counsellor believes a young person may be at risk of significant harm, information will be shared with the Academy’s Safeguarding Team so that appropriate action can be taken. Wherever appropriate, parents and carers will be involved and supported through this process.
Our aim is simple: to make sure every student knows there is someone to turn to when they need help.