Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 26th September 2025
Friday 26th September 2025
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
The new term is well under way and it feels very much like ‘business as usual’ as far as some recently published reports go. The NFER blog: The state of additional support needs and services in English schools - NFER, highlights the concerns of schools around their ability to support pupil wellbeing. They highlight lack of timely access to overstretched services and increasing budget pressures that mean in-school support is at risk too.
At the same time the National Parent Survey released it’s latest report with the headline ‘Pupil unhappiness ‘doubles’ at secondary school’ (compared to primary). Another headline from the report simply reads ‘Almost one million children feel unsafe at school’. Felt safety is the prerequisite for belonging and connectedness and the ability to learn effectively…
What’s on the website?
This week a quick look at our area about parents and carers. It features information for both schools and parents / carers themselves about services / resources / workshops and more. This section includes a section on ‘struggling in school’ and how to access the parent / carers free access to the Creative Education platform offering webinars and short training sessions for families.
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
Wellbeing Training with Headstart Kernow
What Every Teenager Needs to Know About Mental Health
9th October 2025
16.30 – 18.00
Online via Zoom (FREE)
A HeadStart Kernow event with TIS UK. Trauma Informed Schools and Communities proudly present a film that every teenager and every adult who cares for them should see.
The film is aimed at professionals working in secondary schools and colleges; foster carers and voluntary sector professionals supporting teenagers and young adults.
Headstart Digital Resilience presents
2025 Tech Positive Symposium
9.30-4.30, Wednesday 22nd October 2025,
Venton Centre, Chapel Parc, Newquay TR8 5AH
Dates for Grandma on the Moon Autumn term
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
Oracy October 2025 Voice 21
Throughout October, Voice 21 will be shining a spotlight on the vital role that speaking, listening, and communication play in learning, wellbeing, and life beyond school. Join us for:
- Expert-led webinars exploring The Oracy Framework, Developmental Language Disorder and more, with practical strategies for embedding oracy in classrooms and across subjects.
- Insights from NAPLIC on building an inclusive culture of oracy for students with developmental language disorder (DLD).
- Free resource packs to use with your students, designed to develop their understanding of the Oracy Framework
- First-hand stories from classroom practitioners about transforming their teaching and learning through oracy
Coram Life Education - RSHE Guidance Update: Free Recorded Webinar Available
As schools start preparing for the RSHE updates, many are looking for clear, practical guidance to help shape their curriculum, policies, and parental engagement. To support this, we’ve created a free recorded webinar led by our RSHE Training and Programme Manager, Lisa Handy.
This session is designed to:
- Highlight the most significant changes in the updated guidance
- Provide a clear overview of updates related to statutory requirements, curriculum, policy, and working with parents
- Answer frequently asked questions to support your understanding and implementation
Beacon House – free resource
Our new free resource is written and illustrated by Nicole Lenihan, an integrative art therapist. Using creativity and imagination, it can help children to notice when they become overwhelmed by BIG feelings.
Over time they can reconnect with the feelings that are behind or beneath their BIG feeling and support them to recognise and name different emotions and notice that they can - and do - change over time and with attention. Taking time to notice these emotional layers creates an important distinction between what they feel and who they are.
Free resource from Pooky Knightsmith
What to Say When Students Struggle
The guide covers six common scenarios:
- When a student is overwhelmed or panicking: immediate calming phrases and grounding techniques
- When they can't enter the classroom: non-confrontational approaches that open up problem-solving conversations
- When they're tearful or distressed: ways to validate their emotions without rushing to fix everything
- When they say "I can't": how to explore what's behind that feeling and break things down gently
- When they want to go home: understanding the need for safety and finding alternatives
- When they're angry or withdrawn: de-escalating responses and comfortable ways to stay present
Each section includes implementation tips because how you say something matters just as much as what you say. The key is matching your pace to theirs and staying curious rather than jumping straight into solution mode.
Please use this however works best for you and your team. Adapt the language to match your natural speaking style whilst keeping that core message of validation and support.
Sometimes the most powerful thing we can offer is simply staying present with someone's experience rather than trying to talk them out of it.
These conversations matter more than we sometimes realise. Good luck, and thank you for all that you’re doing.
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.