At St Bernard’s School, we recognise that every student has unique needs and abilities. Our bespoke intervention and pastoral support services are specifically tailored to meet the students’ individual needs-from social stories to structured 1-1 interventions

Our approach is centred on personalised pastoral care, early intervention, and inclusive support.

How We Support Our Students:

• Personalised Pastoral Care: Students at our school are supported by a pastoral team working in collaboration with the class teams.
• Emotional and Social Support: We place a strong emphasis on emotional well-being and offer a range of strategies to our students
• Flexible, Needs-Based Support: We understand that the needs of students can change over time. Our approach is flexible and adaptable, offering different levels of support depending on each student’s evolving needs.

Why Bespoke Support Works:

• Individualised Approach: Every student is unique, and our interventions are designed to cater to their individual needs, whether academic, emotional, or social.
• Holistic Support: Our One Team approach is designed to meet the needs of the whole child. From tailored academic interventions to emotional support, social development, and life skills, we work together to foster well-rounded growth and success.

ELSA helps students develop emotional awareness, social skills, and resilience. ELSAs trained staff provide 1:1 or small group support to students.

The ethos behind ELSA revolves around fostering emotional well-being and social competence for every student, helping them develop the skills they need to thrive in both their personal and academic lives.

Key aspects of the ELSA ethos include:

1. Empowering Emotional Awareness

ELSA is committed to helping children understand, recognise, and name their emotions. This empowers them to express their feelings in healthy ways, building emotional literacy.

2. Nurturing Resilience and Self-Worth

ELSA strategies help building self-esteem and resilience in students by offering support during difficult times, such as loss or emotional challenges. ELSA teaches students how to cope with adversity and bounce back stronger, equipping them with tools for future challenges.

3. Promoting Inclusivity and Understanding

ELSA's ethos emphasizes inclusivity and understanding. It creates an environment where all emotions are validated and every child’s experience is respected. The program fosters a sense of belonging, reducing stigma around emotional struggles and supporting positive mental health for all students.

4. Supporting Long-Term Well-Being

The ethos of ELSA focuses on creating lifelong skills in emotional regulation, social interaction, and problem-solving, which contribute to healthier, more resilient individuals who can navigate both academic and personal life with confidence.

Grief Support

ELSA also offers specialised support for students experiencing grief and loss.

Grief support helps children process loss, reduce isolation, and continue to engage with school and peers.

How LEGO Therapy Supports Our Students?

At our school, we are proud to use LEGO Therapy as an engaging and evidence-informed approach to support students’ social communication, emotional development, and teamwork skills.

LEGO Therapy provides a safe, structured, and enjoyable space where students can develop essential life skills. It is particularly beneficial for students who may find social interaction challenging, but it supports all learners in building confidence, friendships, and communication skills.

What Is LEGO® Therapy?

LEGO Therapy is a small-group intervention where students work together to build LEGO models. Each student takes on a specific role, such as:

· Engineer – reads and explains the instructions

· Supplier – finds and provides the correct pieces

· Builder – assembles the model

How LEGO Therapy Supports Student Development

1. Builds Social Communication Skills Students practice listening, turn-taking, giving clear instructions, and asking for help appropriately.

2. Encourages Teamwork and Collaboration The structured roles promote shared responsibility and positive peer interaction.

3. Develops Emotional Regulation Students learn patience, flexibility, and how to manage frustration when challenges arise.

4. Strengthens Problem-Solving Skills Following instructions, identifying pieces, and correcting mistakes all support logical thinking and perseverance.

5. Boosts Confidence and Self-Esteem Completing a build together gives students a strong sense of achievement and pride.

Zippy’s Friends    

At our school, we use Partnership for Children’s Zippy’s Friends programme to support our students’ emotional well-being and social development.

Zippy’s Friends is especially suited to children with additional needs, as it teaches emotional skills in a structured, gentle and accessible way. Through stories, visuals, discussion and role-play, students learn how to:

• recognise and express feelings
• develop communication skills
• build and maintain friendships
• manage conflict
• cope with change and loss

The programme supports our whole-school approach to emotional regulation, resilience and positive relationships, helping pupils feel safe, understood and confident in school.

Rebound Therapy is the therapeutic use of the trampoline for students with a range of physical and learning disabilities. Each student who accesses the therapy follows an individual program which helps to develop and promote motor skills, body awareness, balance, co-ordination, sensory integration and communication, as well as being fun and motivating for the young person! Our Rebound Coaches are qualified Rebound Therapy Practitioners, a qualification that is recognised internationally!

All students from Nursery- Year 6 are offered swimming lessons in the hydrotherapy pool. These students follow an individual program which supports transitioning, sensory integration, communication and those important early swimming skills. Students with more complex physical needs will also use the pool for therapeutic purposes, the warm temperature of the water relaxes muscles and tight joints and students enjoy the freedom of movement whilst in the water. Students are also able to enjoy the lights and music available in the space, stimulating the various senses. Our Swimming Coaches have Swim England Qualifications in Teacher of School Swimming and Support Teacher of School-Primary. Staff also have RLSS qualifications in Aquatic Therapy Pool Rescue Award Light ensuring that sessions are safe as well as fun!