Supporting students’ emotional needs is a whole-school effort, but it can often feel like pastoral care and curriculum are running in separate lanes. This professional learning session with Dr Matt O’Connor explores practical ways to bridge the gap between teaching and wellbeing. You’ll gain strategies to integrate pastoral care into classrooms, improve communication and referrals, and strengthen collaboration across staff, so students don’t fall through the cracks.
Key ideas that will be covered include:
- Recognise the causes and consequences of tension between curriculum and pastoral systems.
- Apply practical strategies to embed pastoral care into everyday classroom practice.
- Use effective communication approaches that clarify purpose and improve collaboration.
- Make and respond to referrals in ways that strengthen, rather than fragment, student support.
- Build and sustain school-wide networks that integrate pastoral, academic, and leadership roles.
This course includes:
- 1hr video
- Slides + resources
- Access at any time
Who is it for?
- Pastoral carers (e.g. year level leaders, heads of house, deputy)
Presented by:
- Dr Matt O'Connor


