The Holidays

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, The government says, The School , the funding is at a record level, but Bellfield Junior School , Northfield, Birmingham, still finds it hard to make ends meet. Pastoral Care is one of the great items on your budget to be discovered, the BBC's Emma Jane Kirby , Care for children and sometimes for their families.

Bellfield school Director, Nigel Attwood doubled up over his Desk, giggling and chortling, while his Deputy, Claire roof of The World , stands over Him , the hand on the hip, as she tries to stifle, your own joy and see you cross it.

"It wasn't me, it was the elf!" Nigel grins, excited with a prank he has pulled successfully in Claire's classroom. She laughed now open and lifts her hands to me in a gesture of mock helplessness.

"I say to you," she says Good -naturedly, "it's a Good job we can laugh, is it?"

Claire du Toit, With its budgetary problems, temperamental boilers, draughty Windows and a lot of pupils, financial or family crisis, you could not imagine, Bellfield Junior could create a School, like a happy room. However, the staff here, the atmosphere charge with your Good humor and sense of Fun - and never more so than during the Christmas season.

The Children already have Christmas Jumper Day, pancakes with Santa, Silly songs and a Special Christmas Dinner and now in Year 5 about to in the Nativity and carol concert to be with their families.

"It is a time of Year when we can All be together in school and enjoy together," explains Nigel , as we drink hastily of coffee in his office before the bell rings. "As much as Christmas is a time for families, we also find it to be for us a time for A Family , in The School , - it is a question of a Community . "

Nigel Attwood Bellfield is located in Northfield, a disadvantaged area of Birmingham, where 60% of the 315 pupils, and pupils considered to be disadvantaged.

"We know That our parents are fighting," adds Claire. "And Christmas is a difficult time, because there are too high expectations of people, Something Special , and it is very difficult For You to do That . So, All the way, we can support it by Making It in school, well, we are!"

In the hallway, tea-towelled, Radio, winged or crown-sporty children, shuffling her sneakers on the carpet and wiggle in anticipation as They Wait their turn to file into the hall, to catch some of the desperate attention of the parents try, others stared transfixed at The Floor , solemnly repeat their lines. A visit to the small child, break Free from the hand of his mother, sees his Big Brother , dressed as a sheep, and break-ins star-struck on the carpet, scattering its Chips.

directly behind The Line -up, The Light goes into The Rainbow Room. In fact, The Light is pretty much always at The Rainbow Room. It is a kind of therapy room, decorated with Sea Life murals, where a soothing background noise of chirping of birds, the comfort of The Children in difficulty, need time to entertain themselves. And there are children here That need to talk.

When I visit in October, the Pastoral Care manager, Jamie Neadle, and learning mentor Lorraine Harvey , you are overwhelmed by The Number of children who come to see them, and through them the seriousness of their problems. And the 60% of the students get here, not to mention a "pupil premium" funding from the government, a school for every disadvantaged child, educates, and Jamie, who served 30 years as a pure entertainment policeman, will give you a short process.

"don't say 'student' premium'," snaps he. "Tell it like it is - Free boarding in The School . And what we really say 60% of our parents cannot afford their children a hot dinner. "

About a quarter of The Children at Bellfield special educational needs and disabilities and over a third are on the register vulnerable. Bellfield spends about £totals 114,000 in the Year - That 's approximately 7. To help 5% of its annual budget to the Pastoral Care , children overcome problems, so That you can focus better on learning.

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"the problems we see in here range from the emotional to pure Mental Health issues, violent and aggressive, destructive behavior and harm themselves," says Jamie. "Oh, we're talking seven-and eight-Year -olds to harm themselves," he explains when he sees my puzzled look. "And you're not just playing with you, believe me, you do it for real. "

Lorraine picked up one of the soft-toy-dolls, which she uses to help children Express themselves in the therapy sessions and the mind is absent his head, stroking with your thumb, while you hear That your colleague. She works at Bellfield Junior School for 18 years and says, very quietly, That The Situation has become so much worse.

"There are so many children who come to us for the whole day now That we kids have to actually turn. "She turns Her Eyes on the doll.

"It is appalling. "

Jamie Neadle, A thin little girl, in tears, was knocking repeatedly on the door while we talk, complain bitterly about The Left out of a Playground game.

"Not Now ," said Jamie. "Go and find Another adult. Go on, we are busy. "

is The Child still, rattling of the doorknob, to Lorraine goes to comfort her. Jamie admits she's a child, you are deeply concerned about, and not because of the alleged bullying in The School . His hands are clenched into fists as he speaks.

"There are children in this school, who went on PCBs This Morning ," he tells me, nodding his head at the little girl on The Other side of the door, who is now cuddled up to Lorraine .

Lorraine Harvey , "children without Breakfast in their stomachs, because there is no food and no carpet at home. And people think we can make it. We are not there. This is the UK. Britain in the 21St Century . "

Lorraine has now been successfully the troubled child sent back to class and she sits down heavily, sharing a frantic look with her colleague.

"behavior can be triggered by something," she begins. "But of course, if a child is hungry, you go to the behavior in a class room in a way That is not acceptable. "

staring through the door into the empty hallway, where the little girl had stood.

"Some of our families live in terrible conditions," she sighs.

"Everything is gone and you can't take it easy, day-to-day lives. I mean, a couple of decent shoes for school is what, £40? So I think a lot of kids slip through The Net . There are just so many questions. And Then we expect these children to come to school and function. Well, sorry, but how can you do That ?"

Lorraine Harvey speaks with a student in The Rainbow Room during the breaks, there are two different lines queuing in the hall - Free toast on The Right side, or for the lucky few with a pound in the bag, bacon butties, sausage or sandwiches on The Left side. The Line on The Right hand snakes out of the hall door.

Jamie asks me to remind you That most of the parents of The Children work, yet still rely on handouts.

"We have to ask the question, as a society, you work, and yet we have to give them extra money to survive. I mean, you try. You can't point the finger and say That you do not try. You have to fight. "

And with social and other services stripped back to The Core , The School is now located on The Front to provide support, not only for the students but also for their whole family. Parents need to regularly shop for debt counselling, help with parenting skills, or simply an emergency food. It is not unusual for school principals Nigel Attwood his computer off at the end of The School day And Then jump in his car, in the supermarket, and will provide A Family in crisis, in order to ensure That their children are fed over the weekend.

The School also has to pay in the breach, gas and electricity bills for families, while the teachers provide pre-shame-faced parents in need of assistance, to Christmas Dinner . At a parents ' evening, Two Mothers tell me confidentially, That in difficult family times, The Rainbow Room has saved your Mental Health . Both independently of each other, the elementary school describe pastoral service as a "lifeline".

Lorraine tells me That , when she first began working at The School , with 18 years of age, it was an educational social workers work next to her. But now, you and Jamie, neither of whom are trained psychologists, which are completely independent. If I were to ask you, if you feel out of your depth sometimes, she shakes her head slowly and looks tired to Jamie.

There is a very small pot of money within the pastoral household, the specialist advisers and educational psychologists.

a small, tear stained face appeared at The Rainbow Room's window and looks in, hopefully. Jamie walks slowly to the door.

"But someone must hold for these children," he says over his shoulder. "Someone has to push. "

The four-and-a-half-day week

northfield, schools, long reads, poverty

Source of news: bbc.com