COMING UP: Red Nose Day 20th March

PANDA

A Lathom Park Unique Curriculum

Lathom Park CE Primary School

Emotional Development, Nurture and PANDA Framework

At Lathom Park CE Primary School we recognise that emotional wellbeing and learning are closely connected. Children learn best when they feel safe, understood and valued. As a small rural school community we are fortunate to know our pupils well, allowing us to respond thoughtfully and quickly to their emotional needs.

Developing emotional confidence, resilience and positive relationships is therefore an important part of our curriculum from Nursery through to Year 6. We aim to ensure that every child feels secure in school, understands their emotions and develops the skills to manage challenges positively.

Our approach is rooted in relationships and guided by our Christian ethos:

“Let love and kindness be the motivation behind all that you do.”

This principle shapes the way adults interact with pupils, the way children are encouraged to treat one another and the supportive culture that underpins daily life at Lathom Park.

To ensure consistency across the school, our emotional development curriculum is supported by the PANDA framework, which provides a structured approach to identifying and supporting pupils who require additional nurture or regulation support.

The PANDA Approach at Lathom Park

PANDA stands for:

Personalised Approach for Nurture, Development and Adjustment

The PANDA framework allows staff to identify pupils who may require additional support with emotional regulation, confidence or behaviour. Rather than viewing behaviour as simply a disciplinary issue, the PANDA approach encourages staff to consider the underlying emotional or developmental needs of the child.

PANDA pupils may include children who:

experience anxiety or emotional dysregulation
find change or transitions difficult
struggle with friendships or social situations
require additional reassurance or structure
are experiencing changes in family circumstances
have emerging social, emotional or mental health needs

The purpose of the PANDA framework is to ensure that pupils receive consistent and thoughtful support across the school so that they can remain engaged in learning and feel secure within the school environment.

The approach ensures that support is:

personalised to the needs of the child
focused on nurturing positive relationships
designed to develop emotional skills over time
adapted where necessary to remove barriers to learning

How the PANDA Framework Supports Our Curriculum

Our emotional development curriculum focuses on three key areas:

Belonging
Understanding Feelings
Managing Emotions

The PANDA framework strengthens these areas by ensuring that pupils who need additional support receive it in a structured and consistent way.

Belonging and Relationships

Strong relationships sit at the centre of life at Lathom Park. Children are greeted warmly each morning and staff take time to notice when a pupil may need reassurance or encouragement.

Because our classes are small and mixed-age, teachers are able to develop a deep understanding of each child’s personality, strengths and areas where support may be needed.

For pupils supported through the PANDA framework, particular attention is given to identifying a trusted adult who can provide reassurance and guidance when needed. These relationships help pupils feel safe and confident within the school environment.

Forest School sessions also contribute significantly to this work. Outdoor learning encourages cooperation, problem solving and perseverance while providing opportunities for pupils to experience success and build confidence.

Understanding Feelings

Children at Lathom Park are supported to develop a strong understanding of emotions through everyday teaching and discussion.

Stories, class discussions and reflective activities help pupils explore how people feel in different situations and why emotions change. Pupils are encouraged to recognise feelings in themselves and others and to develop empathy.

For pupils within the PANDA framework, adults may provide additional opportunities to talk through feelings and reflect on situations. These conversations help pupils understand what may have caused a difficulty and consider alternative ways to respond in the future.

This approach encourages pupils to see challenges as opportunities to learn rather than as failures.

Managing Emotions

Learning how to manage emotions is a skill that develops gradually over time. At Lathom Park staff support pupils to recognise when they are becoming overwhelmed and to use strategies that help them regain a sense of calm.

Teachers model calm responses and guide pupils through difficult moments with patience and consistency. Children are encouraged to pause, reflect and consider different choices.

PANDA pupils may be supported with additional strategies such as:

structured routines and clear expectations
brief movement or sensory breaks
time with a trusted adult to talk through concerns
support in breaking down tasks or situations
quiet spaces where pupils can regain calm

These adjustments are introduced carefully so that pupils feel supported rather than singled out. The aim is always to help pupils gradually develop independence in managing their emotions.

PANDA and the Wider School Curriculum

The PANDA framework complements learning across the curriculum.

In English lessons pupils explore characters’ emotions and motivations within stories, helping them understand different perspectives.

In Religious Education pupils consider values such as kindness, forgiveness and compassion, reflecting on how their actions affect others.

In Physical Education pupils learn about teamwork, resilience and responding positively to both success and disappointment.

Forest School provides opportunities for pupils to develop perseverance and confidence through outdoor challenges. These experiences often help pupils build resilience and self-belief.

Through these varied experiences, pupils develop both emotional understanding and practical strategies for managing challenges.

Supporting Pupils Who Require Additional Help

Where pupils require additional support, the PANDA framework allows staff to plan and monitor appropriate strategies.

Each PANDA pupil has a brief profile outlining:

their strengths and interests
situations that may cause difficulty
early signs that they may be becoming overwhelmed
strategies that help them regulate and remain engaged in learning

This information is shared with relevant staff so that pupils experience consistent support across the school day.

The focus is always on helping pupils develop the skills they need to succeed independently over time.

Partnership with Families

Working closely with families is an important part of supporting pupils within the PANDA framework. Staff maintain open communication with parents and aim to ensure that strategies used in school are understood and supported at home.

Where appropriate, school staff may also seek advice from external professionals to ensure pupils receive the most appropriate support.

This collaborative approach helps ensure that pupils experience consistency between home and school.

Impact on Pupils

Through our emotional development curriculum and PANDA framework, pupils develop the confidence and resilience needed to navigate challenges both in school and beyond.

Children at Lathom Park learn to:

recognise and talk about their emotions
develop positive friendships
persevere when learning becomes difficult
show empathy and kindness towards others
reflect on their behaviour and make positive choices

These skills support pupils not only during their primary education but also as they move on to the next stage of their learning journey.

The Lathom Park Difference

The strength of our approach lies in the close relationships within our school community. Because our school is small, every child is known well and supported by adults who genuinely care about their wellbeing.

The PANDA framework ensures that when children need additional support, this is provided in a thoughtful and consistent way while maintaining high expectations for learning and behaviour.

Through nurturing relationships, strong pastoral support and a curriculum that values emotional development, Lathom Park aims to ensure that every child leaves our school confident, resilient and ready for the future.