At Chalfont St Giles Village School we are committed to supporting the emotional health and well-being of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

We believe it is important to:

• Create an ethos and conditions that support positive behaviours for learning and for successful relationships.
• Ensure that the school’s values have a central place in our classrooms and the wider school community.
• Cultivate a sense of belonging irrespective of gender, race or perceived social status.
• Provide an emotionally secure and safe environment that prevents any form of bullying or violence.
• Promote resilience by helping pupils to shift their reliance on support from outside (I have) to their own internal skills (I can), while building their own personal attitudes and feelings (I am).
• Provide specific help for those children most at risk (or already showing signs) of social, emotional and behavioural problems.

To support these aims we:

• help children to understand their emotions and feelings better
• help children feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
• help children socially to form and maintain relationships
• promote self-esteem and ensure children know that they count
• listen to children and make sure their voice is heard
• help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
• develop skills of empathy and to help children feel understood by their peers
• provide a curriculum that integrates the development of social and emotional skills within all subject areas including problem-solving, coping and conflict management/resolution.
• support parents and carers to develop their parenting skills through providing information and sign-posting to programmes run by appropriately trained health or education practitioners.
• ensure that teachers and other staff have the knowledge, understanding and skills to deliver this curriculum effectively, including how to manage different behaviours and how to build successful relationships.

ELSA - Supporting Emotional Literacy

ELSAs are Emotional Literacy Support Assistants. They are support assistants who have received special training from Educational Psychologists to support the emotional development of children in school. ELSAs have professional supervision from educational psychologists to help them with their work. ELSAs help children to learn to understand their emotions and respect the feelings of others around them. They provide time and space for children to think about their personal circumstances and how they manage them. Mrs Rock is the ELSA at Chalfont St Giles Village School. In ELSA sessions we aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs:

• Recognising and expressing emotions
• Self-esteem
• Social skills
• Friendship skills
• Anger management
• Loss, bereavement or divorce

Children are usually referred for ELSA support by their class teacher. Programs last 6–12 weeks and sessions are timetabled. The sessions will be delivered in either a small group or one-to-one. Clear aims are set early on and each session has an objective - something that the ELSA wants to help the pupil understand or achieve. Sessions include structured fun activities and will be tailored to meet the needs identified. There is always time to talk and listen to the child. You will be contacted by the school if we think ELSA sessions may benefit your child and, of course, we will always be happy to answer any questions you may have.

The ELSA is not there to ‘fix’ the child, but to support them. For pupils with complex or long-term needs, it’s unrealistic to expect ELSA support to resolve their difficulties. Change is a long-term process that needs everyone’s help.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

We offer different levels of support:

Universal Support - To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance, sending out the ELSA. We also focus on developing thinking skills, encouraging talking to each other and relaxation and self-regulation skills such as breathing exercises.

We also offer tips and advice for children and parents - please see below.

The key message is that we know and understand that all children and parents are doing a fantastic job and doing the best they can in very challenging circumstances. Staff are here to help, and we will do all we can to support them.

Additional support - For those who may have short-term needs.

Some children and families have contacted the school to ask for specific support for a short-term need. Staff, where ever possible, have responded to these needs and provided the help requested.

If you have a short-term need or require some support, please contact your child’s class teacher.

Targeted support - For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions. Mrs Rock is supporting the identified children. Individual staff are also providing support for these identified children where needed and where possible.

If you or your child need targeted support, please contact your child’s class teacher or email either school office so we can plan how to best support you. We may do this with staff at school, but we may also refer you to outside agencies who may be better placed to provide you with the help you need.

Please reach out to us if you find yourself in this situation. We want to do all we can to help.