Pastoral Support

The main purpose of the role of Head of Year is to provide pastoral and behavioural support for all students within the specified year group to maximise their achievement and attainment across the school.

Often, at the root of issues for a child is a pastoral concern (bereavement; friendship issues; anxieties about transition to name but a few) and therefore the Head of Year is vital in ensuring each student’s success as they will be the member of staff with the most detailed knowledge of each student in their House.

Heads of Year will examine attainment across all subjects to identify any patterns or concerns and explore solutions to these issues. Heads of Year will liaise with our Inclusion Unit to monitor how behaviour is impacting student progress.

If there is a behaviour issue or incident the inclusion unit will contact parents or carers directly. It may be the case that behavioural issues are affecting attainment and the Head of Year will target these behaviours and work closely with the student and families (and additional support where needed) to correct this and get the student back on track to achieving their potential.

The Head of Year is also responsible for the well-being of each student in their year group, with the support of the student’s Form Tutor and the Pastoral Support team.

Should you have a concern about something affecting your child in the academy; or indeed if there is anything from outside the academy which may affect your child; the Head of Year is a useful point of contact and would be happy to discuss anything with you.

We are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity and encouragement to achieve their full potential and to enjoy their time at Wayland Academy. Every student has a designated Head of Year who will strive to make this a reality. Please visit the 'Meet our team' page for more information on Heads of Year and Assistant Heads of Key Stage.

If you are a parent or carer and you wish to speak to the academy about your child’s progress or their curriculum subjects, please contact the office and they will be able to direct your call.

Parent Support and Guidance Resources

We know that parenting teenagers in the modern era is challenging. We believe in supporting our families as much as we support our students. 

We want to ensure that you feel equipped and connected, especially when facing hurdles like managing homework, supporting your child with their mental health or challenging behaviours which can impact school life. 

To help, we offer several layers of support:

  • Your child's form tutor or head of year is available to discuss any concerns you might have, offer guidance, resources and signposting to specialist services. If you are not sure who to contact, please contact our SENDCO Emma Gagen (emmagagen@inspirationtrust.org) in the first instances and she will be able to connect you to the right people for support. 
  • Emotional health and well-being: You can access the excellent togetherness programme which focusses on teenager emotional health via the link below. Please use access code: JON70 for free access. Online Learning
  • Promoting positive behaviour:  You can access the Norfolk STEPS course online using the link below. This mirrors the methods and approaches used in school. Norfolk Steps (5 sessions).
  • Anxiety:  We can provide access to the Fear-Less Triple P online. This is a cognitive-behavioural parenting intervention delivered online that supports parents and carers to help children manage their anxiety more effectively. The programme involves six (1-hour) online modules with videos and interactive activities. If you are interested in accessing this, please contact our SENDCO Emma Gagen (emmagagen@inspirationtrust.org) and a referral will be made. More information about the content of this programme is attached. Fear-Less-Triple-P-Online
  • If you feel that more bespoke support is needed for your child, we can consider a referral to the Norfolk School and Communities Team. Please follow the link below for details of this service and the support they can offer. If you feel that this would benefit your child, please do contact our SENDCO Emma Gagen (emmagagen@inspirationtrust.org) to discuss. https://www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/article/70001/School-and-Community-Teams-SCT

Please do not hesitate to reach out. We are here to help you and your child to access a positive and successful school journey.