At Langar Primary School we believe that good pastoral support focuses on nurturing and supporting the individual needs of each child and where appropriate the parent also.
The Pastoral Lead ensures that the emotional difficulties and general well-being are supported so that barriers to learning can be addressed and strategies implemented.
We aim to develop positive relationships with children and their families, responding quickly as possible to any issues to ensure difficulties are discussed and resolved.
We provide a range of interventions to support emotional well- being;
Safeguarding children
Working with families to make sure attendance is good
Liaising with parents/carers and with outside agencies to best meet children’s needs
A quiet nurturing room for children to feel safe and secure, to calm down or have time out.
Support the children and parents in the playground at the beginning of the school day.
Liaise with teachers and check at the beginning of each day for children needing support.
1-1 ELSA sessions with identified vulnerable children.
Social groups (social and emotional needs, behaviour, friendships)
Worry boxes in each class for children to raise any worries or concerns.
1-1 Play Therapy and Counselling
Recognising achievements and celebrating success in and out of school
The following websites provide information for parents on an assortment of issues concerning children and young people.
Nottinghamshire County Council have some amazing courses for parents who find themselves in need of some help with regards to their relationships. Please see below some flyers that could point you in the right direction, these can be found in the Parent Support section.
What is ELSA?
There will always be children and young people in schools facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with learning. Some will require greater support to increase their emotional literacy than others. ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed.
We are lucky enough to have a qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistant at Langar. Mrs George has been trained by Educational Psychologists to plan and deliver programmes of support to pupils who are experiencing temporary or longer term additional emotional needs. The majority of ELSA work is delivered on an individual basis, but sometimes small group work is more appropriate, especially in the areas of social and friendship skills. Sessions are fun, and use a range of activities such as: games, role-play with puppets or arts and craft. ELSA sessions take place in a calm, safe space for the child to feel supported and nurtured.
In ELSA we aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs:
Recognising emotions
Self-esteem
Social skills
Friendship skills
Anger management
Loss and bereavement
How does ELSA work?
Children are usually referred for ELSA support by their class teacher or on occasion the SENCo. Every half term Mrs George meets with the class teacher to discuss the referral forms and to identify and prioritise which children require a weekly programme for the next 6-8 weeks. With the programme aims in mind Mrs George then plans support sessions to facilitate the pupil in developing new skills and coping strategies that allow them to manage social and emotional demands more effectively.
Supporting - not fixing
Remember, ELSAs are not there to fix children's problems, but to provide emotional support.
An ELSA aims to establish a warm, respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where they are able to share honestly their thoughts and feelings.
It needs to be appreciated that change cannot necessarily be achieved rapidly and is dependent upon the context and complexity of the presenting issues. For children with complex or long-term needs it is unrealistic to expect ELSA intervention to resolve all their difficulties, however support will be designed to target specific aspects of a child's need. Training and development of ELSAs is an ongoing process and wisdom is required to recognise when issues are beyond the level of expertise that could reasonably be expected of an ELSA. The Educational Psychologist that works with our school would be able to offer advice on suitability or nature of ELSA involvement in complex cases.