Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 26th June 2026
Friday 26th June 2026
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
Find out more about the Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub and the support / resources / tools available to support “a Whole School, trauma informed, relational Approach to Wellbeing that is ‘Everybody’s Business’".
Welcome
Last week, the National Literacy Trust published important new data on children’s and young people’s reading habits. This was drawn from a survey of over 125,000 UK school children during January to March 2026.
It was encouraging to read that for the first time in five years there has been an increase in reading for pleasure and daily reading amongst children, having reached a 20-year low in 2025. The number of children who enjoy reading has risen from 32.7% to 36.1%.
Fingers crossed for a continued rise.
My Feelings: A Reading Adventure
My Feelings: A Reading Adventure is a free reading challenge, created in partnership with Mrs Wordsmith, for pupils aged 4 to 12, designed to nurture a love of reading and support emotional literacy. Through stories, poetry and non-fiction, children are encouraged to explore how characters experience and express emotions, helping them better understand and talk about their own feelings.
- Recognise and name emotions
- Understand how characters express feelings
- Make connections to their own experiences
- Build empathy and emotional vocabulary
- Reflect creatively
There are suggested booklists and excellent supporting resources.
The competition deadline is past but the challenge stands alone.
Book of the Week
Pathways to Belonging in Education by Dr Ilene Winokur
Pathways to Belonging in Education is a a guide for teachers to support their students’ self-belonging and personal belonging while supporting their own professional belonging. This workbook is filled with lessons and activities created by educators to help create a sense of belonging in the classroom.
The book is full of useable and practical ideas, many of them created by teachers to use in their own classrooms. There are lots QR codes / links to additional information / resources.
Well worth a look.
For more book suggestions on a range of topics, please visit our Headstart Wellbeing Book Club
This week's Headstart highlight!
Connect Card - Headstart Kernow
The Headstart Kernow Connect Card offers young people access to opportunities and support across Cornwall. It also helps link young people to local services, activities and wellbeing support. The card is free to order and easy to sign up for, making it a simple way to access additional opportunities and benefits.
Find out more about the Connect Card and how to order a free card here.
Headstart’s Digital Resilience Resource of the Week
Digital Resilience Tool Training
Continuing our series highlighting our digital resilience resources, this week we are pleased to highlight the Digital Resilience Tool e-learning module. This short course provides an accessible overview of the legal context relating to young people and the digital world. It also encourages reflection on your own values and how these can influence decision-making when supporting young people, alongside practical guidance on using the Digital Resilience Tool effectively.
You can access the training here:
https://www.headstartkernow.org.uk/training-courses/Digital%20Resilience%20Training/index.html
FREE!! Last Chance to Order Transition Mission Resources
Transition Mission is a supportive resource from Headstart Kernow designed to help children and young people navigate key transitions, such as moving to secondary school. The materials focus on building confidence, emotional understanding and practical coping strategies, making them useful for use in classrooms, small groups or at home. Schools and settings can also order Transition Mission resources free of charge through the Headstart Kernow resource ordering page.
Find out more about Transition Mission
and how to order free resources here.
Summer Reading Challenge - Explore Cornwall Libraries
The Summer Reading Challenge ‘Extraordinary Explorers’ will run from 11 July to 12 September, offering a fun and engaging way for children to keep reading over the summer. Free to join, the challenge encourages children of all ages to explore books through their local library, with incentives including a free swim voucher on sign‑up and rewards for those who complete the challenge.
Bitesize Workshops for Parents and Carers - Cornwall Council
Cornwall Council offers a range of online Bitesize Workshops for parents and carers, covering key topics linked to children and young people’s wellbeing and development. The sessions are designed to be short, accessible and practical, providing helpful strategies and insights that can be easily applied in everyday situations.
Find out more about Cornwall Council’s bitesize workshops and how to book here.
Lemonade Programme -Headstart Kernow
Lemonade is a strengths based, creative programme from Headstart Kernow that supports children and young people to build confidence, emotional understanding and resilience. Through group work and relational approaches, it provides a safe and supportive space to explore experiences and develop coping skills. A range of Lemonade resources and materials are also available to order, supporting delivery within schools and settings.
Find out more about the Lemonade programme and how to access and order resources here.
Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 -What Schools Need to Know
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 is now being implemented, introducing a wide range of changes across education, safeguarding and support for children and young people. The legislation places a strong emphasis on early intervention, collaboration between services and strengthening the systems that support children’s wellbeing in schools and communities.
Find out more about the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act and what it means for schools here.
World Wellbeing Week (24–30 June 2026)- Twinkl Resources
Twinkl has created a range of resources to support World Wellbeing Week, taking place from 24–30 June 2026. The materials provide simple, practical activities for children and young people, including wellbeing check‑ins, reflection tasks and classroom ideas, helping to promote everyday strategies for supporting mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
Find out more about Twinkl’s World Wellbeing Week resources here.
Loneliness - NSPCC
The NSPCC has published a news story on Childline counselling sessions about loneliness. New data shows that in 2025/2026, Childline delivered 4,893 sessions to children and young people seeking support to cope with loneliness, an annual increase of 7%. Some cited fears of being isolated and unable to make friends when going through major life changes. The news story includes advice for adults on helping children and young people who might be experiencing loneliness.
Read the news story: Rise in children struggling with loneliness contacting Childline
Place 2 Be and DDMIX DDMIX
(Diverse Dance Mix), founded by Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, provide activities and resources for EYFS (Early Year Foundation Stage), KS1 and KS2. The DDMIX for Schools programme is a series of lesson plans, videos, audios and resources for teachers to use to support positive mental health through movement and creativity.
The lessons give children the chance to move their body in an inclusive environment, bringing many benefits including boosting their physical and mental wellbeing.
DDMIX has handed over its schools programme to Place2Be to make all of the resources freely available for all.
Latest from Pooky Knightsmith
Safe Enough to Thrive [SLIDES AND NOTES] When a child can’t do school, melts down in class, or shuts down completely, it’s hard to know where to start. The five domains of safety give you a practical way in: physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and sensory. Map a struggling child against the five and patterns emerge, showing you where small adjustments could make a real difference. The notes include concrete strategies for each domain, plus a section on being the calm, regulating adult that anxious young people need.
Safe Enough to Thrive Powerpoint
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