Etwall Primary School is committed to investing in our pupil’s health and well-being and we offer a range of pastoral support and social and emotional interventions. Emotional Literacy is important because developing children as rounded people and active members of the community is at the heart of what schools are about. Children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are met.
The benefits to pupils are:
- feeling supported by having ‘special time’ and being listened to
- develop greater self-awareness
- learning to talk about difficulties
- developing coping strategies
- interacting more successfully with others
- feeling better about themselves
- managing better in school
ELSA
Mrs Carter is a trained ELSA. ELSAs are Emotional Literacy Support Assistants. They are Teaching Assistants who have had special training from Educational Psychologists to support the emotional development of children and young people in school. ELSAs have regular professional supervision from Educational Psychologists to help them in their work. They help pupils learn to understand their emotions and respect the feelings of those around them. They provide the time and space for pupils to think about their personal circumstances and how they manage them. Most ELSA programmes will last for 6 to 12 weeks, helping the pupil to learn some specific new skills or coping strategies. Clear programme aims (SMART targets) are set early on and each session has an objective - something the ELSA wants to help the pupil understand or achieve. Targets are set in consultation with the child and parents are informed about how the programme is going.
Anti-Stigma Ambassadors
Anti-Stigma Ambassadors lead and champion mental health and wellbeing in school. They complete training and develop a SMART Action Plan. They share anti-stigma messages making it easier to talk about mental health without any fear or embarrassment. They run activities in school teaching others how to stay mentally healthy and make displays and posters to share anti-stigma messages.
The role of an Anti-Stigma Ambassador may involve one or more of the following:
- Lead SMILERS in school. The aim of SMILERS is to empower our school communities (staff and pupils) to become ‘architects’ of their own emotional health and wellbeing within an enabling environment. SMILERS is adapted from the NHS ‘Five Ways to Mental Wellbeing.
SMILERS help children to develop a ‘toolkit’ of wellbeing activities they can access to support improved emotional wellbeing. It helps children to be better able to self-regulate giving them coping strategies for life.
- Making displays, posters, leaflets, newsletters to share anti-stigma messages
- Running activities in school/community
- Sharing anti-stigma messages with parents and families in the community
- Educate and influence people about the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ which can help prevent and manage mental health problems
Targeted Support
At Etwall Primary, we recognise that some pupils may require additional support with their emotional wellbeing. This may be due to short-term needs or life experiences such as bereavement, change, or increased anxiety. We provide targeted support for individuals and small groups to help children build resilience, confidence, and emotional understanding.
Our targeted provision may include:
- ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) support tailored to individual needs
- Zones of Regulation intervention to develop emotional awareness and self-regulation
- Managing feelings resources, including The Colour Monster and worry boxes
- Emotion regulation strategies, such as The Incredible 5 Point Scale
- Therapeutic activities, including art, calm boxes, relaxation and mindfulness techniques
- Lego Therapy and social group interventions to support communication, peer interaction and confidence
- Individual timetables to provide structure and reduce anxiety
- Trusted adult check-ins to ensure children feel safe, heard, and supported
- Meet and Greet support for children who need help transitioning from home to school
- Transition support during key changes, such as moving year groups or schools
Working with Parents and Carers
We know that strong partnerships with families are essential in supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing. Our Family Support Worker, who is also a trained ELSA, works closely with parents to provide guidance and support.
To support parents and carers, we:
- Share information and advice about mental health and wellbeing via our school website and Class Dojo
- Offer opportunities to access further support through individual meetings with the Family Support Worker and/or SENDCo
- Provide parent/carer workshops and coffee mornings
- Ensure parents know who to speak to and how to raise concerns
- Make our Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy easily accessible
- Share practical strategies to support children’s mental health at home
- Keep parents informed about PSHE learning, including mental health topics, with ideas for continuing learning at home
Working with Other Agencies
Where needed, we work closely with a range of external agencies to provide additional support for children and families. These include:
- Umbrella
- Compass Changing Lives
- The School Nurse
- Educational Psychology Services
- Inclusion Support Advisory Services
- Paediatricians
- CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) consultations
- Early Help through Starting Point, including referrals to Family Support Workers