WELLBEING

At Parkside Primary school we understand that our children sometimes need additional support with regards to their wellbeing or their social and emotional development or when life becomes challenging. Positive wellbeing is essential if our children are to flourish and lead fulfilling lives.

We offer support on a variety of levels. As a whole school we continually encourage good mental health and have a commitment to enable all individuals to understand and improve their emotional wellbeing.

We offer in classroom support and guidance, building on positive relationships, creating a positive and open environment for discussion and education on emotional health and wellbeing through our Jigsaw programme of RSE.

Outside of the classroom, we offer both Nurture and Emotional Literacy Support Assistance (ELSA) sessions.

 

Nurture: At Parkside, our Nurture groups are designed around a specific need such as friendships, peer collaboration, social interaction and shared experiences such as Young Carers or bereavement. The groups help develop positive relationships with both staff and their peers.

One to one sessions are centred around supporting a child going through difficult times either at school or at home. Difficult times could include bereavements, separations, difficult transitions, but the list is not exhaustive or preset. These sessions are not over a specific time frame but will continue for as long as we believe the child needs the support.

ELSA Support: The ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistance) intervention was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils from within their own resources. This is achieved by training staff to develop and deliver individualised support programmes to meet the emotional needs of children in their care.

It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are supported.

ELSA is developed and supported by educational psychologists, who apply their professional knowledge of children’s social and emotional development to areas of need experienced by pupils. They provide on-going professional supervision to help maintain high quality in the work undertaken by ELSAs, thereby helping to ensure safe practice for ELSAs and pupils alike.

Our ELSA sessions are a targeted intervention over an agreed timeframe.

THE BEACH HOUSE

Our newly renovated Beach House is a designated space within the main school building. It is a warm and inviting area allowing children to feel like it is almost their own home, with comfy sofas, a dining table and room for groups. The ambience it creates is calming and gives a feeling of safety.

This space is used for lunch groups, one to one nurture sessions, ELSA sessions and groupwork as well as a place to meet external agencies supporting our children.