Power Up Pastoral

power up pastoral

Pastoral staff in our schools already care deeply about children and families experiencing the most complex challenges. But the context is shifting fast: attendance remains a pressing concern, safeguarding needs are increasingly complex, and pastoral teams are being asked to do more with limited capacity.

Too often, this vital work is under-resourced and professional development is left to chance. Power Up Pastoral exists to change that. As a national consortium of education charities committed to relational practice, we are proud to champion this critical workforce and invest in the people who help make school feel safe, connected and full of possibility.

Who we are

Power Up Pastoral is an accredited national CPD programme designed by sector-leading relational experts. Together, we support pastoral staff to embed relational practice and support positive behaviour and improved attendance in their school, so all children can achieve and thrive.

Our mission is simple: ensure every child has access to the quality relationships that help them flourish.

what we do

We offer an innovative and evidence-based CPD programme for pastoral staff.

The 1-year programme blends:

Regional in-person conferences that provide staff the time and space outside of school to reflect deeply on their practice, hone their skills through deliberate practice, and build a professional network
Online learning sessions that are spread across the year to support staff to plan their interventions, reflect on the implementation process, and connect with their cohort
Independent applied activities that help practitioners apply theory into practice and implement new approaches in their own school context

The curriculum is structured around three modules:

Children & Families
Self & Team
Services & Communities

Alongside these three modules, a focus on implementation for impact ensures that learning is put into practice in order to achieve long term outcomes for young people and their families. The combination of experiential learning and rigorous theory helps staff develop both the competence and confidence to drive meaningful change.

The course covers three core modules: Children & Families, Self & Team and Families & Communities.

Outcomes

Power Up Pastoral strengthens practitioners’ skills, deepens their relational practice and increases their confidence in supporting children and families experiencing vulnerability. At school level, Power Up practitioners contribute to stronger team cohesion, more effective trusted-adult relationships, and clearer, more strategic approaches to pastoral support, helping schools strengthen day-to-day practice across attendance, behaviour and safeguarding.

MEET THE TEAM

Harriet Farnham

Pedro Correia

Yolanda Smith

Stefan Sowah

ciara monahan

chloe thomas

Marguerite Doherty

Jenny Muter

Katie Donavan

LUCE CARTER

Mark evans

SIMON BURGESS

Verity Howorth

Mohamed Abdallah

how to sign up

Schools can register interest or reserve places for the 2026 cohort via our Expression of Interest form.

costs

Power Up Pastoral is offered as a comprehensive year-long CPD package.
• Primary schools: £1000 for 2 participants
• Secondary schools: £1500 for 2 participants

The cost includes:
• All regional and national conferences
• Online sessions across the three modules
• Course materials and school-based application activities
• Access to a national network of pastoral peers
• Ongoing support from expert facilitators

We strongly recommend schools enroll 2 or more practitioners to achieve the greatest long-term impact across your setting.

endorsements

“The practitioners come back from all the sessions absolutely buzzing, full of motivation and ideas. It is one of the best training opportunities we have accessed.”

“This training is having an empowering impact on these staff's ability to shape and make change within their settings. I think the uplift in knowledge that they are getting and the evidence-based research they are exposed to is translating in these staff being more confident in being able to engage parents/carers in conversation about early support for them and their child.”

"This course has easily been one of the best I have attended. You and your team made the sessions enjoyable, engaging, and genuinely valuable."

The biggest shift in the pastoral team has been in staff confidence and consistency. "There is a more shared understanding across staff that behaviour is communication. Importantly, the programme has also created space for staff to reflect and feel part of a community."

"Since starting the programme, I’m less judgemental of my own practice. Power Up has allowed me to have conversations with colleagues that are solution focused. I feel much more confident that I have tools and language to use myself, and share with my colleagues too."

contact information

To learn more or express interest, get in touch with the Power Up Pastoral team: