Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 25th April 2025
Friday 25th April 2025
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
We hope you had a restful and restorative Easter Break. All best wishes for the term ahead.
In the last few weeks there have been a couple of reports released that continue to highlight concerns about our children and young people’s wellbeing.
Reported in the Guardian researchers from UCL using data from an international study of pupils at primary and secondary schools found that girls in England say they feel less safe at school and are more disenchanted with their education. Researchers said the steep fall in girls’ “emotional engagement” compared with the years before the Covid pandemic has become a pressing issue for schools.
The survey showed pupils’ feelings of belonging, safety and pride have fallen in many countries since the pandemic but found that England had one of the biggest drop-offs among girls in year 9, when they are aged 13-14, and was significantly lower than among boys.
Meanwhile the TES reported on NFER research that showed the socioemotional skills of 15- and 16-year-olds in England are significantly weaker than their peers in 30 comparator countries. This is important for the lives of our C&YP here and now – especially in a world of ‘Adolescence’ and concerns around their online lives – but also looking to a future where collaboration, communication and problem-solving skills will be key features of a much-changed job market.
Felt safety, connection / relational practice and building a sense of belonging can’t be ‘nice to haves’ but should be central to all that we do to improve attendance and attainment and close the disadvantage gap.
A small contribution is our Free 2 Day Protective Behaviours Foundation Training. There are two more face to face sessions this term and a short introduction to PBs is available on demand.
We are aware of some terrific work already taking place in schools supported by the Mental Health in Schools Team / the Education Psychology Service and organisations like Kooth. We are currently working on a refresh of the hugely popular Transition Mission booklet created by a group of YP who had experienced a tricky time following their own transition to secondary. We will also share advice and information for YP from YP on both exams season and transition via the Start Now website.
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).
Belonging, Brilliant ME! and Myth Makers
Part of the reason ‘Brilliant ME!’ had a strong Cornish / sea theme is about fostering a sense of place and belonging to Cornwall. With this in mind the fabulous Jonathan Roberts and the Cornwall Library Service held a series of workshops for children and families in libraries across Cornwall where they explored local myths and stories and were given the opportunity to put their stamp on the places they live by working collaboratively to create new myths.
The stories have now been gathered in a booklet with additional tales / poetry and artwork by those taking part. It is freely available via the Library Service Borrow Box. It also be viewed on the Headstart website.
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:
External organisations - training coming up.
Boys, Books and Reading for Empathy Training
28 April 2025 — Online, 4.00-5.30pm (£20)
Empathy Lab have decided to re-run their Boys, Books and Reading for Empathy training in response to the recent conversations prompted by the Netflix Programme Adolescence, and Sir Gareth Southgate’s recent Richard Dimbleby Lecture on the BBC, which have highlighted the damaging influence of online culture around masculinity.
As our boys grow up, there are concerning trends which we believe educating for empathy has the potential to combat. This course helps you choose and use empathy-rich books which increase reading for pleasure and explore what it is like to be a boy or young man in 2025, challenge pressures to conform to gender stereotypes, raise aspiration and support wellbeing. Find out more...
Thrive UK
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.
Barnardo’s: Layered Learning CPD Package
Emotionally Based School Avoidance – 3 x 3hr CPD sessions
Tuesday 13th May 2025 1:00pm - 4:00pm – Introducing EBSA
Thursday 15th May 2025 9:30am - 12:30pm - Reflection session
Friday 13th June 2025 9:30am - 12:30pm - Resources and sign posting.
Find out more about this and other sessions available including staff wellbeing.
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.
News / Resources / Updates
Education Support – Staff Wellbeing Toolkits and Resources
Download a FREE PACK of wellbeing resources and guidance for staff
Whilst it’s just still April a reminder of some excellent resources for school staff – useful anytime.
Beacon Family Services lumin&us App – for parents and carers (NHS Approved)
Family mental health and wellbeing support in the palm of your hand.
lumin&us® supports parents and carers of 3- to 12-year-olds who:
- would like to provide their children with lifelong tools and strategies for good mental health and wellbeing.
- are looking for ways to deepen and strengthen relationships with their children.
- worried they’re not being the kind of parent they’d like to be.
- feel stressed, anxious or overwhelmed by parenting.
- are worried about their children’s mental health or anxiety.
- are struggling to make sense of their children’s behaviours.
- have adopted or fostered children.
- have suffered a loss, such as separation, divorce or a bereavement.
- are awaiting support, a diagnosis of neurodivergence or an educational health care plan (EHCP)
lumin&us is available for free on Google Play / Apple (with a premium option) and currently the premium version of the app is on offer to parents and carers / professionals FREE for up to 12 months as part of a trial with Birmingham University.
Happy Maps UK website
A quick reminder of one of our favourite websites / wellbeing directories about wellbeing for parents and carers / children and young people and professionals. It’s just had a makeover with a new A-Z listing of topics for easier navigation.
Be Happy Resources – free weekly downloads (always worth checking out)
My Anger Volcano is a visual, child-friendly anger management tool that helps children and teens explore the triggers and emotions that fuel their anger and the behaviours that erupt when it overflows. With its calming design and simple prompts, this multi-use, one-page printable encourages self-awareness, healthy expression, and emotional growth, making it the perfect resource for any emotional well-being toolkit.
Some other excellent free 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
Again, lots to love with a terrific bank of free downloads and low-cost resources
Anna Freud Centre - Mental health and wellbeing calendar: summer term 2025
A calendar of curriculum themes and occasions linked to mental health for the 2025 summer term, with activity ideas and suggestions for each theme.
Kidscape turns 40!
Kidscape are launching a year long campaign Forty Year of Hope and Help including sharing 40 stories over the year.
Wellbeing Book of the Week
What can we do when school’s not working? An Illustrated Handbook for Professionals
by Abigail Fisher / Naomi Fisher (illustrated by Eliza Fricker)
From the blurb
An increasing number of children are struggling to attend school. The conventional approach prioritises a rapid return to their setting. For some children, this simply doesn’t work. They are stuck, not attending school but not learning out of school either. What happens then - and what can we do about it?
This illustrated guide lifts the lid on the experiences of children and families who are struggling within the school system and explores how we can work with these young people to maximise their chances of a positive and fulfilled life. The book encourages professionals to take a new perspective and to consider what can be done differently. It explores the ways in which difficulties with school are understood by children, parents, and professionals, and shows how things can go wrong (and right), using real-life examples from a range of settings.
Our thoughts
The first thing to say is that this is not a book setting about to bash teachers or dismiss schools. It recognises the challenges that schools, local authorities, health professionals, families and children face in a system that is struggling in all areas.
It is an immensely readable and hopeful book. Full of rich voices and practical insights. The lived experience of families and young people are set alongside powerful stories of how schools have taken a fresh perspective and demonstrated that things can be improved for pupils who are struggling but also for the schools themselves.
Highly recommended.
: Listening – Small Shifts That Make a Big Difference by Pooky Knightsmith
Another excellent resource created by Pooky Knightsmith and freely shared as ever.
Good listening isn’t just about hearing words—it’s about making people feel seen, valued, and understood. When we listen well, we build trust, reduce misunderstandings, and create a culture where everyone feels safe to communicate.
This resource explores small but powerful shifts that can make a big impact, including:
- Creating space for listening – How to set the stage for meaningful conversations.
- Showing you’re really listening – Practical strategies like using silence, reflecting back, and asking open-ended questions.
- Listening beyond words – Tuning into behaviour, body language, and non-verbal communication.
- Reinforcing that you heard – Simple follow-ups that build trust and connection.
- It also includes quick wins you can use today and a one small challenge to help you start putting these ideas into action straight away.
Less than a week to apply for UK Feminista: Action Award 2025
There is now less than a week to apply for the UK Feminista: Action Award 2025, the national awards programme recognising and rewarding schools and colleges for taking action to combat sexism and sexual harassment through a whole school or college approach.
If you haven't already, start by applying for the UK Feminista: Action Pledge, which demonstrates your institution's commitment to addressing sexism and sexual harassment. It’s straightforward and takes just five minutes.
After taking the Action Pledge, your institution becomes eligible to apply for the UK Feminista: Action Award, and you will automatically receive information on how to do so. Awards are granted in three categories - bronze, silver, and gold - and all schools and colleges which meet the criteria will receive their award at a ceremony in London next month. Read about last year's awards ceremony on our website.
Please note, applicants do not have to ‘complete’ the process of taking a whole school or college approach to apply. We are keen to hear from schools and colleges who have made progress on their action plan, can reflect on the impact of activities undertaken so far and have a comprehensive action plan involving the whole school or college community going forward.
The deadline for UK Feminista: Action Award applications is 9.00am on Monday 28 April 2025.
If you have any questions about the scheme and how to apply, please contact education@ukfeminista.org.uk.
Young Minds Update
Getting young people through exam season
Exam season always comes around so quickly, doesn’t it? This is undoubtedly one of the most stressful, nerve-wracking times in a young person’s life – especially if it’s their first experience of sitting exams.
We know it’s difficult for you as well. Knowing how to support young people during this time can feel confusing and overwhelming. Here are some activities you could use to help a young person in your life get through exam time in one piece.
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.
New guides for parents and carers: how to talk about mental health with young people and professionals.
Our guides are created in partnership with parents and carers who have lived experience of supporting their child through mental health struggles. These new guides are no different. They’ll walk you through how to start a conversation with your child about their mental health and how to prepare for a meeting with GPs, CAMHS or other professionals.
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
Eating Problems - Updated Guidance and Toolkit
We are pleased to advise that the ‘Managing Eating Problems – Guidance and Toolkit’ has been updated and refreshed by Dr Lynette Rentoul, Independent Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist. This guidance document provides the latest information and resources to help recognise the signs / risks and support available for parents and anyone who supports children and young people who have eating problems or eating disorders or are at risk of developing them. You can download the new version and watch a webinar given by Dr Rentoul based on the guidance
Empathy Lab – Reading for Empathy Collection 2025
Jump into someone else's story with a diverse collection of empathy-rich texts, from picture books to non-fiction to graphic novels, written and illustrated by leading authors and illustrators. The 2025 collection is a fantastic resource to help grow an empathy-educated generation…
Primary Collection (pdf)
Secondary Collection (pdf)
Register Now for the Empathy Day Festival 2nd – 12th June 2025
And access some excellent, FREE, empathy 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."
Dyslexia: Pupil Voice for Effective Support
A blog by Margaret Rooke on Positive Young Minds
Children with dyslexia need to believe they can and will succeed. This will help them with learning, behaviour, motivation, school attendance, relationships, feelings of self-worth and so much more. Incorporating pupil voice within their support is a key factor in achieving this…
Support Guidance for Student Image Security - UK Safer Internet Centre
Appropriately managing images and videos on a school website is essential to maintain a professional and secure online presence whilst mitigating opportunities for misuse.
Using guidance developed by the Professionals Online Safety Helpline with input from the UKCIS Early Warning Working Group, the UK Safer Internet Centre has formulated guidelines on addressing this issue.
To read more, please follow the link below:
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/managing-student-image-and-video-content
Education Support – Staff Wellbeing Toolkits and Resources
Download a FREE PACK of wellbeing resources and guidance for staff
April is Stress Awareness Month toolkit
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.