Pastoral Care and Wellbeing
Westgate CP School Pastoral Care
Westgate CP School has a strong pastoral team, made up of all staff who care deeply about our children and their wider families. We also have specialist staff who are trained as Emotional Literacy Support Assistants who can offer tailored interventions to children who need additional support.
ELSA - Emotional Literacy Support Assistants
Mrs T Spencer Miss R Clifton
ELSAs are emotional literacy support assistants. They are teaching assistants who have had special training from educational psychologists to support the emotional development of children and young people in school.
ELSAs help children and young people learn to understand their emotions and respect the feelings of those around them. They provide the time and space for pupils to think about their personal circumstances and how they manage them. Pupils are helped to find their own solutions rather than ELSAs telling them what to do.
Children chosen for ELSA support are referred via their teacher or a professional within the school. However a parent/carer could suggest their child requires ELSA support. Our staff will consider which children are most suitable to be successfully supported within the ELSA programme. Most ELSA programmes will last for 6 to 12 weeks, helping the pupil to learn some specific new skills or coping strategies. Clear programme aims (SMART targets) need to be set early on and each session has an objective - something the ELSA wants to help the pupil understand or achieve. ELSA sessions only take place when permission has been given by the parent/carer.
To gain support from Mrs Spencer or Miss Clifton email: elsa@westgatecp.co.uk
Westgate CP School Wellbeing Information and Support
Westgate CP School is committed to the Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) of our staff, children and community. To ensure staff, child, and community wellbeing, our school is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment with a culture of respect and accountability for wellbeing. Our environment enables staff to deliver the safest and best possible education and support to children and their carers. Staff and children can access a range of strategies and resources within school and the following websites are useful for our families and carers to access should they have the need:
Suffolk Mind is an independent charity whose mission is to make the county the best place in the world for talking about and taking care of mental health:
https://www.suffolkmind.org.uk/
Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding:
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/
Support from Suffolk County Council:
Oxford Mindfulness Foundation offer free online mindfulness sessions:
https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/free-online-mindfulness-course-sessions/