At South Axholme Academy, we believe that students achieve their very best when they feel happy, safe, valued and supported. Pastoral care is central to our ethos and underpins everything we do. Through our Expect Excellence culture and our Ready, Resilient, Respectful Mindset, we work in partnership with students, families and external agencies to ensure that every young person is known as an individual and has the support they need to flourish both academically and personally.
Our pastoral system is built around positive relationships. Every student belongs to a form group, where their Form Tutor provides a welcoming start to each day, monitors their wellbeing and progress, celebrates successes and is often the first point of contact for parents and carers. Alongside our Form Tutors, each year group is supported by a dedicated Progress and Achievement Leader, who works closely with students, families and staff to remove barriers to learning, promote excellent attendance and behaviour, and ensure every student can achieve their full potential.
Pastoral support extends far beyond responding to concerns. We pride ourselves on providing proactive support that develops confidence, resilience, independence and positive wellbeing. Students have access to a wide range of support including one-to-one mentoring, emotional wellbeing support, attendance support, restorative conversations, transition support, exam wellbeing guidance, our Hub provision, the SEND Team and referrals to specialist external agencies where appropriate. Our aim is always to provide the right support at the right time, enabling students to remain fully engaged in learning whilst feeling safe and supported.
Our House system also plays an important role in our pastoral provision by helping students develop a strong sense of belonging, identity and pride within the Academy community. Through inter-house competitions, leadership opportunities, charity events and enrichment activities, students build friendships across year groups whilst developing teamwork, resilience and confidence.
We believe that recognising success is just as important as providing support. Students are regularly celebrated through our ACHIEVED rewards system, House Points, Principal's Café, postcards home, celebration assemblies and a wide range of awards recognising academic achievement, excellent attendance, positive behaviour and contributions to Academy life.
Student voice is equally important. Through our Student Leadership Team, Student Council, House Captains and student ambassadors, young people are encouraged to influence decision-making and contribute positively to the continued development of the Academy. We adopt a ‘You Said, We Did approach to both staff and student feedback to enable to show that feedback is acted on and everyone in our school community is listened to.
Our commitment to wellbeing also extends beyond the school gates. We work closely with a wide range of external partners, including , Early Help, Children's Services, Educational Psychology, School Nursing, local neighbourhood policing teams and other specialist services to ensure students and families re With Me in Mind ceive the support they need. These partnerships enable us to provide early intervention wherever possible and ensure that students can access specialist advice when required.
We also recognise that every year brings new challenges for young people. Through our comprehensive Personal Development curriculum, tutor programme and assemblies, students learn about mental health, healthy relationships, online safety, bullying, personal safety, financial wellbeing, careers, drugs and alcohol, and other issues relevant to their age and local community. This proactive approach helps students develop the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to navigate modern life safely and successfully.
If you have a general pastoral concern, your child's Form Tutor should usually be your first point of contact. Where additional support is required, our Progress and Achievement Leaders and wider pastoral team will work closely with you to ensure your child receives the support they need. If you are unsure who to contact, please email admin@southaxholme-iet.co.uk, clearly marking your email for the attention of the relevant member of staff, and it will be forwarded appropriately.
Pastoral Leadership Team
- Mr Chris Barnes – Vice Principal
- Mrs J Hall – Progress and Achievement Leader (Year 11)
- Mrs A Haigh – Progress and Achievement Leader (Year 10)
- Miss O Brennan – Progress and Achievement Leader (Year 9)
- Mrs N Smith – Progress and Achievement Leader (Year 8)
- Mrs V Lee – Progress and Achievement Leader (Year 7)
Support Beyond the Academy
Whilst we encourage students to speak to a trusted adult in school whenever they need support, we also recognise that some young people may wish to access advice independently. The following organisations provide confidential information and support for young people and families:
- Childline – Child protection and emotional support
- NSPCC – Child safety and safeguarding advice
- YoungMinds – Mental health and emotional wellbeing
- The Proud Trust and Mind – LGBTQ+ support
- Relate – Relationships and family support
- Lifeline – Drugs and alcohol advice
- Noah's Ark Centre – Emotional wellbeing support
- Young Carers – Support for young carers
- Prevent – Information on radicalisation and extremism
At South Axholme Academy, every student deserves to feel known, supported and encouraged to achieve their very best. By working together with families and our wider community, we strive to ensure that every young person develops the confidence, resilience and character to succeed both in school and beyond.
Behaviour
As an academy we consider good behaviour and high standards of politeness and good manners from the whole community, to be an essential condition for effective teaching and learning to take place. It is a primary aim of our academy that every member of the academy community feels valued and respected, and that each person is treated fairly. We teach students to know the difference between right and wrong and to develop tolerance and understanding and expect parents to support this. This is modelled by staff working with students in the academy and also through the curriculum including the PSHE curriculum (Personal, Social and Health Education) and the RSE curriculum.
The academy works collaboratively with parents, so students receive consistent messages about how to behave at home and at the academy. We try to build a supportive dialogue between the two and inform parents if we have concerns about their child's welfare or behaviour. Our full Behaviour policy can be found here
Bullying
The Academy does not tolerate bullying of any kind. If we discover that an act of bullying has taken place, we act immediately to stop any further occurrences of such behaviour, working with both parties involved in the incident. While it is very difficult to eradicate bullying, we do everything in our power to ensure that all students attend school free from fear. Our full Anti-Bullying policy can be found here
Home-Academy agreement
The Academy has devised a Home-Academy agreement that is sent to all parents at the start of the academic year. We hope that all parents will support the academy in making sure that they and their children sign and support the South Axholme Home-Academy Agreement. This details the obligations of academy staff, parents and students in ensuring all work together for the education of your child. The form tutor signs the agreement on behalf of the academy to make clear our commitment to you as parents.
Emergency contact details
In case of accident, emergency or illness at school, staff will take all possible steps to contact you immediately. It is your responsibility to inform us of any changes in employment, contact details (address, mobile phone number and work contact details) or domestic circumstances as soon as they occur, using the Arbor app or by contacting the academy so that the necessary details can be updated.
Mobile Phones/electronic devices
The Academy recognises that some students and parents/carers choose for students to carry mobile phones for safety and security reasons. However, in line with Department for Education guidance, published in February 20226 which states “All schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default” strict controls are in place regarding their use during the Academy day and on Academy organised activities.
If a student brings a mobile phone onto the Academy site, it must be switched off at all times (not placed on silent) during the school day and kept out of sight. In a school bag or locker, not a pocket. Mobile phones must not be used on Academy premises or during any Academy organised trips, visits, or sporting fixtures, unless explicit permission has been granted by a member of staff and the device is used under direct supervision.
The Academy accepts no responsibility or liability for the loss, theft or damage of any mobile phone brought onto the premises. Students remain fully responsible for their device at all times.
Where a student is seen with a mobile phone during the Academy day, whether in use or not, the device will be confiscated and retained in accordance with Academy procedures until the end of the day. Repeated breaches of this expectation will result in escalating sanctions in line with the Academy’s behaviour policy.
Smart watches are not allowed on the academy site. If a student requires access to their phone or smart watch for medical purposes. Relevant medical evidence will need to be provided in advance.
For further information please consult our behaviour policy here
Buses
North Lincolnshire Council publishes a document entitled Code of Conduct for Safe Behaviour on Buses. This document contains guidance for both parents and students, outlining expectations for behaviour whilst travelling on school transport.
Students are regularly reminded about acceptable behaviour on school buses through assemblies and form-time activities. In addition, bus prefects travel on all school buses to help ensure that students can use these services safely and respectfully.
To download a copy of the Code of Conduct for Safe Behaviour on Buses, please click here.
North Lincolnshire Council also publishes the Home to School Transport Policy for Pupils of Statutory School Age. This document provides useful information for parents, including guidance on what to do if you move home or if a bus pass is lost or misplaced.
To download a copy of the Home to School Transport Policy, please click here.
Further information and advice are available from North Lincolnshire Council regarding situations where a school bus does not arrive as expected. To view this guidance, please click here.