Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 23rd May 2025
Friday 23rd May 2025
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
May we wish everyone a restful and restorative half-term break.
The word ‘grit’ made an appearance again in the last couple of weeks. It was a surprise to hear it in the context of the very welcome announcement of the extension of Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST) programme.
It wasn’t long before ‘grit’ was coupled with ‘resilience’ and not in a good way. Does it matter? Yes, very much if it means we put resilience in the same ‘stiff upper lip’ category.
"There is a real danger in people thinking that ‘resilience’ is the same as ‘grit and determination’ and that it’s somehow the responsibility of the child to display it".
(Professor Angie Hart 2016)
"Resilience is not a personality trait. Children become more or less resilient depending on the opportunities they are given, not because they are born with a quality called ‘resilience’".
(Newman, 2011)
We see resilience as ‘Ordinary Magic' and we absolutely love this definition.
Why Ordinary Magic?
Ann Masten (2013) describes the process of building resilience as ‘Ordinary Magic’ because to build resilience all children need are the right environments, the right relationships and the right chances to be able to safely explore themselves and the world around them.
Another of our 'resilience heroes’ Professor Angie Hart, creator of the Resilience Framework.
“Researchers often define resilience as ‘doing better than expected in a context of adversity’ Professor Angie Hart talks about what we can do to help people be resilient and say resilience is “beating the odds whilst also changing the odds”.
Resilience is very much about those around a child have a role to play… At home, in school, as part of the wider community and beyond. It is about all the things that really matter from felt safety, the power of relationships, belonging, having coping skills / strategies and creating the best possible opportunities for learning and achieving…
Important now more than ever?
The Department for Education (DfE) has published a report exploring the extent to which students' poor mental health contributes to school absenteeism in England among 13- to 16-year-olds. The report draws data from the second cohort of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE2) which follows a sample of young people born in 1998/1999. Findings show that mental ill health is one of the causal factors of absence in Year 11 students and poorer mental health strongly predicts authorised absences. The report includes calls to equip parents, teachers and students with the resources they need to identify if a young person is struggling with their mental health.
Read the report: Relationship between mental ill health and absence in students aged 13 to 16
Child Poverty in Cornwall
The Director of Public Health is focusing on child poverty in their Annual Report this year and they are keen to shine the spotlight on the voices / experiences of children and young people as well gathering the views of professionals working with children and families on how poverty affects children and the impact that managing the symptoms of poverty has on their organisation.
There are two excellent opportunities to contribute:
- Help PH explore and capture children's understanding of health and happiness (deadline 27th June)
- share your views by completing the Child Poverty Impact Survey (closing date 6th June)
Don’t forget you can now access this and previous newsletters on the website
Wellbeing Training with Headstart Kernow
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:
New Creative Education are offering Supervision (cost involved)
Supervision: Supporting the People Who Support Everyone Else
Professional supervision for DSLs, Mental Health Leads, SENCOs, Pastoral Staff
School staff who support vulnerable children and colleagues need support too. Our professional supervision service provides a structured, reflective space for staff to process challenging situations, develop their practice, and maintain their wellbeing.
Expert Supervision Delivered by experienced professionals who understand the unique challenges of educational settings.
Structured Support Regular, confidential sessions that provide space for reflection, problem-solving, and professional growth. Group sessions or 1:1 available.
Wellbeing Focus Helps prevent burnout and compassion fatigue among staff in demanding roles.
External organisations - training coming up.
Schools in Mind
How can schools and colleges help young people form healthy relationships in a digital world?
We know that it can be challenging to know how to support young people to form and maintain healthy relationships, particularly in the context of the increasing popularity of digital spaces.
Join us on 18 June (16.30 – 18.00) for an interactive webinar, which will help education staff and other professionals who work with children and young people to support the development of healthy peer relationships.
The session will also help you identify signs that a student is being negatively affected by their peer relationships, as well as support you to understand how to look after both your wellbeing and that of your colleagues when navigating these difficult situations and conversations.
More information / Booking (cost involved)
On-demand from ThriveUK
How to create a sense of belonging in schools (Thrive UK)
In this session, we explore how to create a genuine sense of belonging in schools – a vital foundation for mental wellbeing, academic success, and healthy brain development. We expand on previous conversations about the importance of belonging, sharing fresh strategies underpinned by the latest neuroscience and Thrive’s relational approach.
From red pill to 80/20: decoding Netflix’s Adolescence to support mental health in education
Now available as a free on-demand recording with a free guide:
Increasingly young people are being exposed to harmful online narratives around masculinity, relationships and self-worth. From incel culture and the manosphere to red pill ideology, these digital spaces can shape how boys see themselves and interact with others - sometimes with devastating consequences.
As educators, how can we spot the warning signs? How do we create safe spaces for young people to talk about these issues? And how can we equip them with the tools to develop a healthy sense of identity and belonging?
On-demand webinar: Overwhelm-busters for the young person’s toolkit.
Exam season is just around the corner, and with an increasing focus on attainment, the pressure to succeed can be daunting for pupils and educators alike. In ‘SaveMyExams’ 2024 survey, 85% of pupils said they experienced exam anxiety and 1 in 4 said it was nearly unbearable. While it’s natural for young people to have some nerves about exams, it’s important to take steps to ensure the stress doesn’t take a serious toll on their wellbeing and performance.
In this 45-minute webinar, Thrive’s Head of Product and Innovation, Viv Trask-Hall, dives into the science behind stress and shares practical strategies that pupils can use when overwhelm creeps in.
Dr Lisa Cherry (TICS) Circles and Threads; Trauma Informed Record Keeping
1st July 2025 (online). Cost involved.
For foster carers, social workers and those in education responsible for writing records.
It is an insightful, interactive, connection space. Using a trauma informed lens, we'll explore how records have the capacity to heal the reader long after their time in care.
Another course from Lisa Cherry - Cultivating Belonging: A Model for Practice 2025 (Cost involved)
Brand new for 2025 - A conceptual model to weave a web of belonging in practice!
Cultivating belonging into our practice can sometimes feel like a tick box exercise; something that we know we should do but without any knowledge of a cohesive way of doing it.
Drawing from Dr Lisa Cherry's research on belonging and written about in her book Weaving A Web of Belonging, this full day session will guide you through the why, the when and the how of incorporating a conceptual model into your practice.
You will leave the day with a clear plan of how to apply her FACES, SPACES, PLACES model into your practice, slides from the day, a toolkit to audit and develop practice, alongside various downloadable items to support your Cultivating Belonging into Practice Plan. This event is suitable for anyone wanting to develop a practice of belonging into their setting, service or system and to deepen understanding of the impact of unbelonging for so many who are then left feeling as though they are invisible and that they don't matter.
Meet colleagues from around the country and draw on collaborative minds across sectors and let's create!
When? - 3rd September 2025 9.30 - 3.45
Where? - Online – Zoom
Your Host: Dr Lisa Cherry
News / Resources / Updates
The Brilliant ME! Guide to Anxiety Booklet for parents and carers has just landed from the printers. Schools / professionals can order free copies from us via the resource order page on the website and parents can request free copies directly or get them from their local library.
There is an accompanying booklet for school staff with additional information and resources (order from the resources page).
Exams and Transition support
Find advice and information for YP from YP on both exams season (including SATS) and transition via the Start Now website.
Head to our website to order Transition Mission booklets (free)
Young Minds Update - getting young people through exam season
Stress bucket activity – help young people identify what exactly is causing them stress and the things they can do to reduce it.
Mindfulness activities – help young people calm their heightened emotions and cope with anxiety.
For more tips and advice on managing exam time, check out our guides for parents/carers and professionals.
NSPCC / Childline / Exam Stress
The NSPCC has published a news story on children experiencing exam and revision stress. Data from Childline counselling sessions between April 2024 and March 2025 highlighted key themes including feeling under pressure to do well; struggling to balance revision and other parts of life; and losing sleep over revision, exams, and the idea of failing.
The news story includes advice to help young people during this period.
Practical Resources for the Classroom – from Nip in the Bud
Here are some tools to support resilience and emotional understanding in your students:
Embedding Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into daily lessons to help children build empathy, self-regulation, and communication skills using:
- Our “Feelings Wheel” which gives children the language to speak about their emotions.
- Or you can use our ‘Colour Coding Emotions Tool’ which also helps articulate and make sense of how we are feeling.
Recognise signs of emotional distress and provide supportive interventions
Dr Sian Williams, a counselling psychologist gives practical tips and strategies for teachers on mental health and neurodivergence.
Watch our Tips For Teachers Series
Encouraging open discussions about mental health and well-being, helping to reduce stigma around emotional struggles, building mentally healthy habits.
Try using the ‘Check in, Check up, Check out’ tool
or show our Stigma Film to your students to spark discussions and break down barriers.
Children and anger
The NSPCC has published a news story on anger issues as a mental health concern among children and young people. Data from Childline shows that in 2024/25, there were 2,895 counselling sessions delivered to young people struggling with anger issues, an increase of 6% compared to 2023/24. The news story includes tips to share with children on dealing with these emotions.
Thousands of children are turning to Childline to seek help for anger issues
Empathy Day Festival is coming soon and there is lots on offer.
Register Now for the Empathy Day Festival 2nd – 12th June 2025
And access some excellent, FREE, empathy resources, training and online events for pupils.
New Opportunity for Schools- Empathy Lab Schools Programme
Find out more
News from Pooky Knightsmith
The latest resource from Pooky is a Hand in Checklist.
This is a Student Self-Check Checklist to help learners develop independent review skills and strengthen their executive function.
For many students, especially those who are autistic, ADHD, dyslexic, or have other learning differences, self-monitoring and task completion can be a challenge. They may rush through tasks, forget key details, or struggle to recognise what to check before handing in work. This checklist provides clear, structured prompts to make self-checking a simple and achievable habit.
How this supports executive function:
- Helps students with task monitoring and self-reflection, key executive function skills
- Reduces mental load by giving a structured process rather than relying on memory
- Encourages metacognition—students actively think about their own work quality
- Supports working memory and attention, ensuring key details aren’t missed
Inside, you’ll find:
- A student-friendly checklist designed to be stuck inside books for easy reference
- Simple, structured prompts to guide students in reviewing their work before submitting
- A final reflection step encouraging students to feel proud of their effort
How you might use this resource:
- Print and cut out checklists for students to stick in their books
- Encourage students to use the checklist before submitting work to reinforce good habits
- Share with colleagues looking for practical ways to build self-monitoring skills in their students
Staff wellbeing slides
The session explores how we can support staff as humans, not just job roles—balancing practical tweaks with deeper reflection to create a culture where people feel heard, valued, and supported.
What’s included in the slides?
- Listening & connection strategies – from meaningful check-ins to appreciation notes
- Workload & boundaries – with ideas like “to-don’t lists” and positive delegation
- Mastery & motivation – using CPD, peer support, and reflective practice to build confidence
- Passion & purpose – helping staff reconnect with why they do what they do
- Team culture & belonging – fostering kindness, trust, and a sense of shared goals
The slides are practical, reflective, and totally adaptable. You might use them for your own wellbeing work or to spark ideas in your setting.
As ever Pooky is happy to share and for people to use / adapt resources as you see fit – with a credit.
Wellbeing Book of the Week
Ups and Downs: a Book about Big Feelings by Karen Young. Illustrated by Norvile Davidonyte
Blurb: An important, engaging, practical book for young people (and their important adults).
All feelings are important – the magical, the messy, and the in-between. Sometimes though, big feelings can have us behaving in ways that aren’t so, let’s say … shiny. This happens to all of us. The more young people understand how and why, the more they can build the capacity to feel their feelings and manage them in positive ways.
The Polyvagal Theory in a picture book! A picture book suitable for anyone, any age to help them understand why they feel and do as they do, and how to do differently when they need to.
Beautifully illustrated throughout, this book is a super introduction to the realities of how uncomfortable and painful big feelings can be with practical suggestions for both children and their adults to help restore a sense of calm and connection. There is a supportive section for adults exploring strategies for co-regulation
The book is a joy to read and look at and full of hope and reassurance throughout. Great for a parent’s section in the school library and great for supporting PSHE lessons and more.
Highly recommended.
Free / low-cost wellbeing resources for schools
Excellent free / low cost Social and Emotional Learning resources can be found on some of our very favourite websites:
Whole Hearted School Counseling – brilliant blogs, fab freebies and low cost resources that worth purchasing
Anita who ‘is’ WHSC has been creating some fabulous resources recently.
A recent series of blogs with additional resources have covered some really important areas for supporting young people in engaging and fun ways.
Anita has also been posting some excellent brief wellbeing snapshots for young people and parents via Instagram.
ELSA Support
Again, lots to love with a terrific bank of free downloads and low-cost resources.
A new resource featured this week is:
Regulation scenarios.
The Regulation Scenarios Pack is designed to spark discussion, reflection, and skill-building in a child-friendly and realistic way. Each card presents a relatable situation that might happen during the school day or at home, followed by three possible responses… (cost involved)
Be Happy Resources
Resources to buy and subscriptions to access everything on site but always a free resource or two each week:
Any other sites you are aware of and would recommend?
Digital Resilience Tools and Resources
As part of our overall website refresh, we have updated / improved the digital resilience tools / resources and added some new ones. There are tools for professional, parents and carers and young people themselves. Recent additions include:
- SEND Digital Resilience Guidance
- Was that, OK? tool for young people.
- Podcast Series for young people
Explore these and all the digital resilience resources
VapeANON
VapeANON.com lets young people share information about shops selling vapes to children - and it’s entirely anonymous.
Created by Cornwall Council Trading Standards in response to concerns raised by young people at our Children’s Rights Annual Conversation, VapeANON enables young people to pass on information anonymously to Cornwall’s Trading Standards team about shops that are breaking the law by selling vapes to under 18s.
One of the young people who took part in the Annual Conversation said:
“Whilst working with other young people to create an action plan to address the issue of young people vaping at the Annual Conversation we all discovered that most of us knew at least one person who had bought a vape illegally. We all felt like something had to be done to prevent more young people accessing vapes so I’m very proud that Trading Standards listened to the concerns of the young people and are working to combat this issue."
Have you visited our new www.headstartkernow.org.uk website yet?
We are delighted to let you know that our refreshed and redesigned website went live recently. 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.