Supporting Young People: Key Takeaways from Our Pastoral Talks Series – Mrs Susan James (CHS Deputy Head, Pupil Welfare)
Blog written by Mrs Susan James, CHS Deputy Head – Pupil Welfare
At Cheadle Hulme School, and as Deputy Head for Pupil Welfare, I am proud to say our commitment to pastoral care is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that education extends beyond academic success – it’s about nurturing the emotional resilience, social skills, and well-being of young people.
We recognise that the world is an increasingly changing and challenging place for all of us. Those of us who are pastoral leads feel the constant tension between managing present challenges and staying abreast of how to manage the new challenges our young people face. Finding the time and resources for professional development can add additional barriers to our efforts.
That’s why we made the decision to change our pastoral CPD offer. This year, for the first time, we have moved away from an all-day, in-person conference, to a series of one-hour after-school lectures to offer expert-led sessions for free. By removing financial barriers and making the timings more convenient and limited, we hope to reach as many educators, safeguarding leads, and pastoral staff as possible.
We are really proud to have hosted two of the three events so far, for our extended pastoral community, stretching across the state and independent sector, the HMC network and for junior and senior colleagues alike.
And the feedback has certainly told us that this has benefited colleagues. Our first two speakers explored crucial aspects of pastoral care, equipping attendees with strategies to better support young people. Each session concluded with a Q&A, offering attendees the chance to engage directly with the speakers.
Dr Emily Setty’s talk entitled, “(Re)framing harmful sexual behaviour & healthy relationships between young people in schools,” gave us insights into her groundbreaking research into young people’s experiences of sex and relationships. Helping us better understand risk-taking behaviours, and encouraging us to use a strength-based model to help our young people with their choices.
In our second talk, we heard from Mike Nicholson. In his talk, “Boys don’t like to talk”, Mike explored the influences on our young men, the hierarchy and therefore the pressure they are under to be a certain type of ‘man’. He taught us ways to reframe this and give them the language tools to empower our young men to become values-based people, breaking free from restrictive gender norms. Mike‘s talk was compelling viewing and showed us a fascinating insight into the way boys view themselves, as well as a number of powerful strategies to help our young men become better able to become happier, values-driven and authentic in the future.
For our final talk on 29 April 2025, 4 pm – 5:15 pm, we will welcome Simon Fanshawe OBE, speaking on “The Power of Difference”. A renowned diversity consultant, broadcaster, and author. He will discuss the importance of embracing difference and fostering inclusive environments. Drawing on his extensive experience in leadership and equality campaigns, Simon will challenge attendees to rethink how diversity can be a powerful force for change in education. This talk directly reflects Cheadle Hulme School’s values of inclusivity and respect, ensuring that we celebrate and empower every individual in our community.
Please accept our invitation to join us, we look forward to welcoming you and learning with you, in support of all of your young people.
