Promoting positive relationships and positive behaviours is important to us and this year saw the launch of our Relationships and Behaviour Policy following feedback from parent, staff and pupil forums.
If any child needs support and time to talk and explore feelings, we listen. All staff regularly use Wishes and Feelings activities with pupils for many reasons – such as those who are feeling unhappy, in need of support with friends or self-esteem, or are suffering from the loss of a significant person in their life. We share the information with parents/carers so that home and school can work together to provide effective support.
We are able to offer some specific interventions such as pastoral support sessions, ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support), Drawing and Talking Therapy and Lego Therapy.
Mrs Kidd is our Family Support Advisor (FSA) for the Spixworth Federation, she is a key member of our pastoral team. She is a vital link between home and school. You will often find her on the school gate or in our Community Hub. In the Hub we also offer a food, clothing and toy bank. We offer help and support to families in the Motel. There are facilities for internet access and you can get help to fill in forms. Cook and Connect sessions are very popular and offer children the chance to prepare a small snack that they share later in the day with their parents/carers – it is a great time for a chat and a catch up! Adult cookery sessions take place too.
On our Colour Monsters emotion display we have a ‘worry box’. This display reminds the children of all the different emotions a person can feel, and that this is ok. It also creates conversation about how to manage those feelings. We also use ‘colourometers’ to gauge our own emotions.
Mr Puddiffoot joins us several times a week as a key member of our pastoral team. He delivers a range of bespoke interventions and also loves outdoor learning.
Our FSA is trained to work with parents to help them support their children to reduce anxiety through the Parent-led CBT programme Working on Worries. We can offer this training to parents either face-to-face or online. This training is one-to-one and if you are interested in accessing this please contact Mrs Kidd.
We are a Silver Rights Respecting School which means we actively teach children about their rights and the rights of others, we are currently working towards our Gold Award. We believe it is important to value ourselves and others.
Our School Council has worked with Norfolk and Waveney MIND to create an emotions chart that all children in Norfolk can access and use.
We are very proud to be working towards our Young Carers Tick.
Children are regularly reminded in assembly about the roles of our Safeguarding Leads and Mental Health Champions. Mrs Payne (Head of School, SENCO, DSL) is also our Senior Mental Health Lead.
Our school values run through the core of everything that we do – we really do CARE.
