Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 20th November 2025
Thursday 20th November 2025
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
There’s a fascinating article in the Times Educational Supplement this week asking whether pupil attention spans are really decreasing. In an interview with Professor Nilli Lavie, Professor of Psychology and Brain Sciences at UCL.
In recent research teachers worldwide are reporting shorter attention spans among pupils, impacting learning. While there’s no research at the moment offering direct evidence of a decline in attention abilities, changing habits, particularly increased media multitasking and exposure to short-form content intended to grab attention, may be a factor.
This comes as the concerns for our children and young people about smartphones, social media, AI et al are fuelling the ongoing debate about banning ‘phones in schools and restricting access to a smartphone to those over 14.
Australia’s ban on anyone under 16 having access to social media accounts until they are 16 comes into force on the 10th December 2025 and will be closely watched as to how successful it will be.
With all this in mind our website focus this week is on the Digital Resilience section.
HeadStart Digital Resilience Tools
Digital resilience is about helping children and young people to have the knowledge and skills to get the best out of online life, whilst understanding and managing the risks. Our approach aims to support professionals and parents to feel confident to support C&YP and know where to get and support if needed.
Our digital resilience tools include online training, podcasts, the digital toolkit to help you understand online behaviours and how harmful they might be, guidance documents for professional and parents and the Was that OK? Tool for young people.
What’s on the website?
The Connect Card
Created by young people in Cornwall, the Connect Card is for ages 10 to 16. It links to a site with advice, support, free stuff and fun content.
Show young people how to scan the QR code and explore what's there.
Cards and resources are available through the Resource Order Form HERE
Headstart Comms
We have refreshed our comms tools and resources which can be found on our website.
Don’t forget you can now access this and previous newsletters on the website
Training & Events
FULLY FUNDED BY HEADSTART KERNOW
SPACE (Supporting Parents and Children Emotionally) Combined 3-day Facilitator
Training for Professionals
Become a SPACE facilitator with fully funded 3-day training by Headstart Kernow. Support families through trauma-informed, relationship-based practice. Explore course details and how to apply here.
27th -29th of January 2026
Please email us at SPACE@Cornwall.gov.uk to express your interest.
Have you joined the Headstart Kernow Creative Education membership yet?
Sign up here: www.headstartkernow.org.uk/creative-education/
Download our updated Creative Education membership information fliers with access links for:
Stay in touch: Check out our training and other support and sign up for the occasional newsletter.
And follow us on our page on the Services for Schools platform.
News and Resources
Cornwall Youth Council Elections
Do you know a young person who wants to help people in their community, change something that matters to them and their peers or help other young people to be heard and taken seriously?
Cornwall Youth Council is looking for young people aged 11 – 18 to stand for the next round of elections!
Deadlines:
- Truro & Falmouth + Camborne & Redruth: Closing 23rd Nov
- St Ives, North Cornwall, South East Cornwall and Newquay and St Austell: Extended until 28th Nov
Find out more, read the candidate pack and sign up here! https://letstalk.cornwall.gov.uk/youth-council
Watch the video | Find out more and register
Education Support release latest Teacher Wellbeing Index report
Which makes for sober reading. As Education Support say in their introduction:
“These figures are not just statistics, they are a warning. An unwell teaching workforce cannot deliver the best outcomes for children and young people. Quality of education is inseparable from the wellbeing of those who provide it. If we want every child to thrive, we must ensure that those who teach and support them are thriving too”.
Read more and download full report
On Wednesday 3rd December (4 - 5pm) Education Support is holding a free one-hour webinar with Manchester Metropolitan University to explore how schools and colleges can build positive staff cultures.
For more information:
https://www.educationsupport.org.uk/news-and-events/events/creating-cultures-of-care-supporting-staff-wellbeing-in-schools/
Bullying
As antibullying week draws to a close NSPCC reveals that bullying was the main concern for over 6,500 counselling sessions delivered by Childline last year. Concerns included: seeing hurtful posts about themselves online; receiving verbal and/or physical bullying; and being left out or excluded. The news story includes advice for parents, carers and young people experiencing bullying.
Empathy Action Month
This week’s theme Caring for our Community, is all about how we can understand perspectives of local people to make positive changes in our community. Check out the latest events and resources
Impact Ed Research
New research findings: Acting on the Engagement Gap
This week we published Acting on the Engagement Gap: Insights from the Research Cohort, celebrating schools that have turned insight into action and measurement into meaningful change.
The report explores how schools are using pupil engagement data from the Engagement Project to drive real improvements across five key themes: transition, safety and trust, relationships, enjoyment, and agency.
Five key takeaways for education leaders:
- Engagement is a lead indicator: drops precede declines in attendance, attainment, and wellbeing
- Transition matters: the sharp national decline between Year 6 and Year 8 can be bucked locally
- Safety and trust are unevenly felt, particularly by gender and phase, requiring targeted action
- Relationships drive outcomes: pupils who feel known and valued consistently show higher engagement
- Enjoyment matters: schools embedding joy have seen measurable gains in confidence and attendance
DOWNLOAD: Scripts That Help at the School Gate By Pooky Knightsmith
Morning drop‑off can be one of the hardest parts of the school day when a child is anxious, upset, or reluctant to go in. This week’s resource, Scripts That Help at the School Gate, offers calm, practical phrases for parents and school staff to use in those heart‑tugging moments.
Inside you’ll find:
- Before You Leave Home – language to build confidence without false reassurance
- At the Gate – supportive words for children who are crying, angry, frozen, or clinging
- The Handover – tips for brief, effective communication between parents and staff
- Clear examples of what to say (and what not to say)
- Space to note what works best for your child or pupils
These scripts aren’t about quick fixes—they’re about empathy, consistency, and creating a safe bridge between home and school. If a child’s distress grows rather than eases, it may be a sign to look deeper at what’s happening in school itself.
Have you visited our new www.headstartkernow.org.uk website yet?
We made it simpler to find what you need as professionals supporting children and families need as well adding a new, more prominent area for parents and carers.
Have a look and let us know what you think!
Stay in touch: Check out our training and other support at www.headstartkernow.org.uk and sign up for the occasional newsletter.
And follow us on our page on the Services for Schools platform.