Pastoral Care at Cathedral Catholic Primary School

 

Who are the Learning mentors? Our Learning Mentors are Mrs Blamire and Mrs Speak and they are based in The Ark in the centre of school.

"Hello to all our Cathedral family!For those who do not know us our names are Mrs Blamire and Mrs Speak."

My name is Karen Blamire, the children call me Mrs Blamire. You can often find me of a morning and afternoon next to the main school gate. I have the pleasure of working at our school for the past 25yrs, so I am a familiar face. The past 4 years I have had the wonderful and fulfilling role as the Learning Mentor working alongside my colleague Mrs Speak. 

My role has grown and evolved in so many ways over the years whereby I am able to transfer a lot of my previous skills and experience from when I worked locally as a qualified nurse here in Lancaster. I am also a parent to three grown up boys and now a grandma to 7 children. This itself sets us up for many life skills that are needed on a daily basis. My passion is to love, care, and nurture all our children here in school along with the support I may be able to offer their families.

 

My name is Michelle Speak, the children know me as Mrs Speak. I have worked in our wonderful school for 15 years. I have lots of experience working with children with SEN and over the past four years I have worked alongside Mrs Blamire as our schools learning mentors. I am really passionate about building positive relationships with children and their families. Having a family of my own I understand the challenges young families can face. We are based in The Ark and our door is open.

Our roles are Learning Mentors but we also support families. We work alongside other agencies in helping to support our children and their families. We have links with Food Banks, local charities, Lancashire County Council, Safe net refuge, NEST and the Children and Family Well-being Service to name but a few. We might not always have the answers but we will always support you to find a solution. All support and advice is confidential. Sometimes parents just need someone to talk; to off load and we are here. Parenting is a challenging role and can often be stressful, we know as we are both mums and we’ve been there!”

What do Mrs Blamire and Mrs Speak do?

To support our children, Mrs Speak and Mrs Blamire…

  • work with children who are new to our school to help them form friendships and feel part of our school family.
  • support children with key transitions including moving between schools or classes.
  • work with individuals and groups of children with self-esteem and confidence building work.
  • help children understand and manage their emotions and behaviour.
  • help children with friendship issues including helping them to resolve differences with their friends.
  • provide support and guidance to children who are experiencing difficulties due to social or emotional issues.
  • support children with changes in their family such as bereavement, a new baby, the loss of a pet or family breakdown.

To support our families, Mrs Blamire and Mrs Speak…

  • provide a listening ear for parents when they need it.
  • support parents with any concerns that they may have regarding the well-being of their child. (This can range from bedtime routines, being unsettled coming in to school, to managing behaviour and emotions at home).
  • support families where a child has attendance or punctuality issues.
  • provide information and signposting to other services in the local area.
  • provide advice and support in promoting positive behaviour at home.
  • support families with benefit, debt or housing issues.
  • make referrals to other agencies or people who can support families with particular issues e.g. Children and Family Wellbeing Service, Barnardos,
  • make referrals to the Food Bank

The Ark

The Sensory Room