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Safeguarding support in school
At Holte School, we have worked to develop our own in-house Early Help team, bringing together pastoral, health, wellbeing and attendance support. Early Help means recognising when a child or family may need additional support and working together to address difficulties before they grow.
By making a range of support available in school, we aim to make it easier for pupils and families to get help from people who know them. Our staff and visiting professionals work together to understand individual needs, agree appropriate support and involve other services where needed. The roles below contribute to this approach.
Learning Support Centre
Our Learning Support Centre (LSC) provides a supportive place for pupils who are finding school difficult, have had an upsetting experience or are facing difficulties outside school. Our four Learning Mentors offer one-to-one mentoring, support in lessons and group sessions where needed.
Mentors work with groups of pupils each term, tailoring support to their needs. This includes Thrive sessions to support social and emotional development, help with behaviour and restorative sessions that help pupils resolve conflict and repair relationships. They also address issues such as racism, vaping and harmful attitudes towards women and girls.
The LSC supports pupils returning after a suspension, helping them reflect on what happened and work towards a positive return to school. We also work with other local schools to support pupils experiencing behaviour difficulties before they return to their own school.
Counselling service
The Wellbeing Crew provides counselling in school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Counselling gives pupils time to talk about worries, feelings or experiences that are affecting their wellbeing and to explore ways of managing difficulties.
Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead manages referrals and appointments. Parents and carers who feel their child may benefit can contact the safeguarding team to discuss the support available.
School nurse
Our school nurse is in school on Mondays and Tuesdays. Having the same nurse on both days helps build relationships with pupils and families and provides continuity of care.
The nurse supports pupils with a range of health needs, including asthma, diabetes, disabilities and emotional difficulties. She also works with pupils and families following hospital care or referrals from a GP.
The nurse works with our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team on care plans, supports the safeguarding team in reviewing children’s needs and helps families access other health services.
Health and Wellbeing Coordinator
Our Health and Wellbeing Coordinator manages day-to-day pupil health matters and runs the school’s first aid room. She provides a point of contact for pupils who feel unwell or need first aid during the school day, helping them receive appropriate care and support.
She oversees care plans for pupils with asthma and anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction), helping to coordinate the arrangements needed to support them safely in school. Working with families, the school nurse and relevant staff helps ensure that pupils’ health needs are understood and that those supporting them know what to do if a problem arises.
Parents and carers can help by keeping the school informed about medical conditions, changes in their child’s health and any updated advice from healthcare professionals. This helps us keep care arrangements up to date and support pupils to take part in school life.
Working with the police
We work closely with West Midlands Police and our Link Police Officer, who visits school weekly. The officer keeps us informed about local issues and offers advice and support to pupils experiencing difficulties in school or in the community. This includes meeting parents and helping resolve conflict through mediation.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mr Oliver, chairs both Birmingham’s city-wide Police-School Panels steering group and the Ladywood Police-School Panel. These partnerships help schools and police work together on local safeguarding concerns.
As part of our work on knife safety, we use a police-provided knife arch once every half-term to reinforce safety messages and help keep pupils safe.
Student social workers
We host student social workers from local universities on placements as part of their professional training. During their placements, they contribute to our support for pupils and families, including individual work, referrals and home visits. This helps strengthen communication between home and school and identify support families may need.
Attendance Officer
Our Attendance Officer works with pupils, families and school staff to support regular attendance and punctuality. They monitor attendance, follow up unexplained absences and look for patterns that may show a pupil needs extra help.
By talking with pupils and parents or carers, the Attendance Officer helps us understand barriers to attending school and agree practical steps to improve attendance. They work with pastoral staff and the safeguarding team where concerns about absence may be linked to a child’s wellbeing or safety.
If your child is finding it difficult to attend school, please contact us early so we can work together to find appropriate support.
Accessing support
If you are worried about your child or would like to discuss any of this support, contact the school and ask to speak to the safeguarding team. Pupils can speak to any trusted member of staff. We will listen and help identify an appropriate next step.
Working with external agencies
Alongside our in-house Early Help team, we work with a wide range of external agencies to provide additional expertise and support for pupils and families. These partnerships help us respond to individual needs, whether that means improving attendance and behaviour, strengthening a pupil’s sense of belonging and motivation, or helping them manage stress and anxiety. Together, we aim to remove barriers to learning, build confidence and improve young people’s life chances.