Cornwall Schools’ Wellbeing Hub Newsletter 29th January 2026
Thursday 29th January 2026
Welcome to the Wellbeing Newsletter
Crikey! It’s (very nearly) February already. Despite the weather there is a hint of spring the sight of some snowdrops earlier this week felt hopeful…
A big topic of conversation at the moment is the drive to ban access to social media for young people. There have been some thoughtful and nuanced articles debating the pros and cons. But surprisingly more are against the ban that for it, even those who might on the face of it want a ban.
For example Dr Lucy Foukes on Instagram has written a short article against the ban which is well worth reading. At the same the Molly Rose Foundation (created in memory of Molly Russell) and SWGfL have written that they feel a ban would be the easy option but unhelpful.
We have tools and resources to support schools and families to help children ‘survive and thrive’ on line on our digital resilience pages on the website
Book Review – Reading for Wellbeing
As Children’s Mental Health Week approaches with the theme of 'This is My Place', it feels a good time to share some of the many wonderful books about belonging that are out there.
Picture Book - One More Try. Naomi Jones & James Jones
Blurb - A reassuring picture book encouraging perseverance and self-belief, reminding children that learning and growth often take time and repeated effort. Circle loves the tower that the squares and hexagons have built and wants to make his own. But circles, diamonds and triangles are pointier, rounder and much wobblier - making a tower is not as easy as it looks! The shapes try and try but their tower just keeps tumbling down. Can Circle persuade them to have just one more try?
Our thoughts - A book about shapes but also a book about differences & perseverance and problem solving. Lovely.
Chapter Book - The Boy in the Back of the Class – Onjali Q. Raif
Blurb - “There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy is sitting it...” The boy is Ahmet, a refugee from Syria… When our narrator & three friends find out about Ahmet’s story, they set out to make his life better. It is about empathy, kindness, challenging prejudice, persistence and being the best you can be...
Our thoughts - Aside from its powerful and important message it is an uplifting, fun story that has you rooting for a positive outcome. . Highly recommended.
Belonging in School - Reaching the Unseen Children 2nd Edition - Jean Gross
Blurb - Reaching the Unseen Children provides a powerful and accessible resource for schools working to raise the attainment of all disadvantaged pupils, with particular emphasis on white children from low-income backgrounds. Jean Gross argues that progress will only be made through early intervention and building pupils’ sense of capability, and sets out low-cost, low-effort ways in which teachers can transform outcomes for their students – through the everyday language they use, the expectations they convey, and the relationships they build with pupils and their parents.
Our thoughts - accessible and readable, this is a thoughtful and comprehensive book. It is essentially about the importance of inclusion and belonging with relational practice at heart for all in school. It also offers practical strategies for addressing key areas of the attainment gap including literacy and numeracy. A very good read. The newly published 2nd Edition is expanded and updated including an important new section on Attendance. Highly Recommended.
You can find more books about belonging in our Wellbeing Book Club alongside many others that explore wellbeing.
Don’t forget you can now access this and previous newsletters on the website
Training & Events
Free Online Learning – Build Empathy Through Reading
Join Empathy Lab’s free, expert‑led webinars designed to help you build empathy through reading in any setting. Each short session blends psychology, neuroscience and practical tools you can use straight away.
“Inspiring! It left me feeling uplifted and full of positive ideas.” - Participant, 2025
Upcoming Free Webinars
All sessions run on Zoom and are free to attend - simply register to receive your joining link. Recordings and resources are shared with all registrants, but joining live means you can ask questions and get involved in interactive elements.
Make the Most of the Read for Empathy Collection
12 Feb, 4pm–5.30pm (Free, online)
Join Empathy Lab founder Sarah Mears and featured authors for an introduction to the 2026 Read for Empathy Collection. Now in its 10th year, this landmark selection highlights 65 empathy‑building books for ages 3–16+, spanning picture books, early readers, novels, poetry, non-fiction and graphic novels.
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
Mobile Phone Guidance - From April 2026
The government has strengthened expectations around mobile phone use in schools, encouraging a phone‑free day to support learning and wellbeing. Ofsted will reflect this in inspections from April 2026, looking at how clearly policies are communicated and consistently applied.
What Ofsted Will Look For
From April 2026, Ofsted will check how schools manage mobile phones, focusing on behaviour, learning and pupil wellbeing rather than any one set approach. Clear, consistent policies remain essential.
More on Ofsted’s expectations here
Actions for Schools to Consider
Schools are encouraged to review behaviour policies, agree a consistent approach to phones during the day, brief staff and governors, update parents early, and ensure safeguarding and inclusion needs are addressed.
National Year of Reading - Go All In for Connection
2026 marks the National Year of Reading, and EmpathyLab is celebrating the power of stories to help us connect - with ourselves, with each other and with the world. Whether it’s reading aloud, listening to audiobooks or sharing a bedtime story, this year is all about enjoying the bonds reading creates.
Childline Campaign: Supporting Young People's Mental Health
Childline has launched its Race to a Milli campaign, helping children manage their mental health while using social media. The campaign includes a video featuring TikTok creators navigating peer pressure, hateful comments and online stress — plus talking points for professionals working with young people. Childline data shows more than 82,000 counselling sessions between April 2024 and March 2025 focused on mental wellbeing.
Government Consultation on Children’s Social Media Use
The UK government has opened a consultation on children’s social media use, exploring minimum age requirements, stronger age‑assurance measures, restrictions on addictive features and more support for parents. Ofsted will now review mobile phone policies at every inspection, with schools expected to move towards phone‑free environments. The NSPCC has welcomed some proposals while calling for platforms to be held accountable.
ELSA Support
Debbie at ELSA support has created a series of FREE resources.
Thrive UK
Thrive UK have created a free Children’s Mental Health Week resource pack to support this work across a range of contexts. The materials are flexible and can be adapted to suit different ages, needs, and school structures.
The pack includes:
- Practical activities that support belonging and emotional safety
- Assembly or group session ideas
- Relational approaches that build connection
The focus is on what’s realistic in busy school days. Even small shifts can help children and young people feel that school is a place where they belong.
Packs available for EYFS, Primary and Secondary
Recent find
The Belonging Collective is a blog focused on the research around belonging, connection and relationships in education and their impact on pupil performance and motivation.
It is the work of Phil Banks an educator and researcher who writes:
‘Many writers have suggested that generating a sense of belonging is the key to unlocking student success. This blog explores the latest research, theory and thinking about belonging and its place in education. I have tried to explore themes that may help us to understand the impact of belonging on the students in our care, as well as suggested ways of harnessing that power. All views expressed are my own’.
Creating Safety for Neurodivergent Learners – Pooky Knightsmith
Pooky Knightsmith has shared slides and notes from a recent session on supporting neurodivergent young people. The resources explore the Five Domains of Safety - physical, sensory, social, emotional and cognitive - and how unmet needs in any domain can lead to rising anxiety throughout the school day.
Have you visited our new www.headstartkernow.org.uk website yet?
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.
Have a look and let us know what you think!
Stay in touch: Check out our training and other support at www.headstartkernow.org.uk and sign up for the occasional newsletter.
And follow us on our page on the Services for Schools platform.