Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 28th March 2025
Friday 28th March 2025
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
Part 1 - Training & Events
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
Recently the Anna Freud centre released the findings of the Education for Wellbeing study.
Education for Wellbeing was a large-scale research programme, funded by the Department for Education, involving two randomised control trials. They evaluated a range of mental health and wellbeing interventions being delivered in primary and secondary schools. The aim was to examine the impact of these approaches on children and young people’s mental health. The programme ran between 2018 and 2024. Across England, 32,655 pupils across 513 schools participated in Education for Wellbeing.
There were five interventions included in the study and one of them, Strategies for Safety and Wellbeing (SSW) was shown to be effective in both primary and secondary schools. This is particularly pleasing news as SSW is based on the Protective Behaviours process which forms part of our Whole School, trauma informed, relational Approach to wellbeing and underlines the importance of safety – emotional, physical, social, cognitive, psychological – at the heart of wellbeing, belonging and learning.
Following the results the DfE and Anna Freud are planning to roll out training to support school staff in both primary / secondary. In the meantime, we will be including SSW as part of the PBs training – join us at the next face to face training taking place on the 9th and 16th May where we will also share the SSW training materials.
Don’t forget you can now access this and previous newsletters on the website
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Part 2 - News / Resources / Updates
Wellbeing Books of the Week
It is currently a busy time for publishers of books about wellbeing in schools. Three titles have caught the eye recently and all have something to offer…
Restoring Education by Louise Bomber et al.
The book offers both a gauntlet and a guide. A challenge to stop ‘doing school’ as we have always done and a guide emphasising relationships as the foundation for meaningful change.
The book explores attachment theory, neuroscience, and child development. It is a reminder that play, safety, and connection are essential in creating a learning environment where all children can thrive. It identifies the importance of having ‘Team Pupil’ and emphasises that work to build safety, belonging and relationships is not putting school staff into roles as therapists – rather highlighting the unique opportunity, given the time children spend in school, to practice the ‘ordinary magic’ of relational approaches.
The structure of the book – a series of essays reflecting on various aspects of relational practice centred in the real-world experience of the contributors makes it recognisable, readable, and doable.
Highly Recommended
The School Mental Health Response Handbook by Ali D’Amario and Tina Rae
The Handbook would a terrific addition to a School MH Lead toolkit to dip in and out of as needed. It offers practical strategies and guidance to navigate and nurture mental health. It sets out to help develop an understanding of the key emotional and social challenges children face today. It is aimed at both providing support at a preventative level and to help staff recognise and respond to mental health needs as they arise.
There is a good range of material covered in an accessible way. Each section has case studies and ‘reflection points’ which help consolidate key messages but also help contextualise the content. There are some useful tools and resources.
It feels like a book for the secondary school, but the authors do not make that distinction. given that it is easy to navigate and intended to ‘dip in and out of’ as needed would have a place in the primary school as well.
Worth a look.
The School Mental Health Toolkit by Andrew Cowley
The School Mental Health Toolkit aim to set out a practical and supportive approach to tackling the mental health crisis in schools through promoting a positive and supportive school culture. This book aims to help school staff identify needs, make referrals, offer universal provision, and empower young people to understand their own mental health, build resilience, challenge stigma and prejudice, foster compassion, talk about their own needs and ask for help.
I have not been a fan of Andrew Cowley’s previous books and this book has done little to change that. I can’t put my finger on why his books do not resonate. He refers to all things I would want to see covered… safety / belonging / whole school approaches / staff wellbeing and more.
There are some interesting case studies and reflections (e.g., an interview with someone from Education Support about the Teacher Wellbeing Index).
It is perhaps because it is not clear who it is for, it is quite dense, lacks specific tools and resources – apart from the ‘THINK lens’ (Timely, Holistic, Inclusive, Non-judgemental, Knowledgeable) in each chapter, which does not do much for me – and lacks something… passion perhaps?
Bonus Recommendation: Let’s Go Flo by Rebekah Ballagh
I find myself back on firmer ground with this charming picture book for KS1 children about executive function and exploring we can help Flo with the key skills of focus, attention, remembering instructions and regulating emotions.
The illustrations are excellent, and the interactive story gives young readers a chance to take part in Flo’s day. There is also an excellent selection at the back for adults with an excellent guide to executive function skills and additional activities.
A fun discovery – highly recommended.
New addition to the resources we offer:
The Strange and Curious Guide to Anger by Sally Donovan
This super follow up to the wonderful ‘The Strange and Curious to Trauma’ is just as bizarre, funny, moving and ultimately reassuring. It's perfect for children (and adults!) to learn how anger affects us, what happens when we get angry and what we can do about it.
Digital Resilience Tools and Resources
As part of our overall website refresh, we’ve 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
DfE / Anna Freud - Education for Wellbeing
Education for Wellbeing was a large-scale research programme, funded by the Department for Education, involving two randomised control trials. Through Education for Wellbeing, we evaluated a range of mental health and wellbeing interventions delivered in primary and secondary schools. Our aim was to examine the impact of these approaches on children and young people’s mental health. The programme ran between 2018 and 2024. Across England, 32,655 pupils across 513 schools participated in Education for Wellbeing.
Education for Wellbeing headline findings report
Our headline findings report summarises the key findings and recommendations.
When I attended a recent webinar about the study I got very excited that one of the 5 interventions tested was Strategies for Safety and Wellbeing, a subject very close to my heart and based on the Protective Behaviours process. SSW is a curriculum-based approach involving training teachers to deliver eight lessons on how to look after your mental health, knowing when help from others is needed and being aware of support networks.
SSW improved intended help-seeking for mental health difficulties in primary schools and had a high probability of being cost effective in the longer term. In secondary schools, SSW only improved intended help-seeking when the full number of sessions were delivered. It also had a high probability of being cost effective in the longer term.
Based on the study’s findings, SSW is a recommended intervention for primary schools… and SSW also shows promise as an intervention in secondary schools.
Following the results Anna Freud will be rolling out training to support school staff across the UK in delivering the SSW intervention in both primary and secondary schools.
I am attending training with Anna Freud in April and will be including SSW as part of the Protective training currently on offer. Join the training on 9th / 16th May to find out how Cornwall has an opportunity to lead the way!
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 – Just released
The latest #ReadforEmpathy collection is here.
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)
We’ve come across some of these books already and they are superb. For example, the lovely “The Grand Hotel of Feelings”; The powerful and moving “The Wrong Shoes” and “Bird Boy”; The laugh out loud and hopeful “Keedie”.
Check out www.empathylab.uk for details of training and events coming up in 2025.
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
Young Minds – Tackling Exam Stress
Another year, another exam season…
Sometimes young people find it easier to take onboard advice from people their own age. Share this guide to exam self-care with your pupils. It is written by a previous Activist at YM, Rose. She talks about her favourite ways to look after your mental health while revising for exams and why exam self-care is so important.
Exam time can be stressful for all the family. If parents and carers are concerned about how their child is coping with exams, or worried about their wellbeing, we recommend they check out the guide for parents and carers.
Ideas for resources to support pupils during exam time.
Butterfly of balance activity: helps pupils identify the things that they can do to release the pressure of revision and exams and help find a good balance of work and rest.
Our guide to talking to your pupils when they are stressed: offers trauma-informed responses that can help during those moments of heightened emotion.
Stress bucket activity: can be used 1:1 or in groups to help pupils identify what exactly is causing them stress and the things they can do to reduce it.
Mindfulness activities: can be used 1:1 or in groups to help pupils manage their exam anxiety.
UK Feminista - Applications open for Action Award 2025
Applications are open for the UK Feminista: Action Award 2025, a national awards programme which recognises and rewards schools and colleges for taking comprehensive action to combat sexism and sexual harassment through a whole school or college approach.
Begin your journey by applying for the UK Feminista: Action Pledge, which demonstrates your institution's commitment to addressing sexism and sexual harassment. It is straightforward and takes just five minutes.
After taking the Action Pledge, your institution becomes eligible to apply for the UK Feminista: Action Award. This award recognises and rewards schools and colleges that have taken outstanding action to tackle sexism and sexual harassment through a whole school or college approach. Awards are granted in three categories—bronze, silver, and gold—based on the evidence of your initiatives and their impact. All schools and colleges which meet the criteria will receive an award. Award winners will be invited to a ceremony in London in May to celebrate their achievements.
The deadline for UK Feminista: Action Award applications is 9.00am on Monday 28 April 2025.
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.