Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, there was a growing need for schools to offer greater levels of emotional support to students - and that need is only increasing.
Young people all deserve to receive a balanced education but children can’t learn if they are not happy or don’t feel safe.
That’s where our emotional literacy support assistants (ELSAs) come in.
What is an emotional literacy support assistant?
The ELSA intervention was originally developed by educational psychologist Sheila Burton, and was designed to build the capacity of schools to support the emotional needs of their pupils using existing school staff, rather than buying in external support.
Our primary school includes a unit class for children with complex needs and a special resourced provision (SRP) for children who are physically disabled. We have two qualified ELSAs, both of whom were already working as teaching assistants at the school.
They received training to develop and deliver individualised support programmes that meet the emotional needs of children and young people in their care, and are now focused on supporting different children and families across our school.
So, how exactly does the training process work?
The staff members attend an initial training course (spread over four to five months) and then, once qualified, attend half-termly group supervision with an educational psychologist. We were able to access the training and supervision as part of a traded offer with Swindon Borough Council that was funded by the school.
If this isn’t available in your area, the ELSA Network is a good place to go for help.
The initial training is a mix of psychological theory and the application of theory to support children and young people. It covers topics including:
- Self efficacy, self-esteem, motivation and growth mindset
- Emotional competence
- Loss and bereavement
- Feeling secure
- Building relationships to develop a sense of belonging and circle of friends
- Using therapeutic and social stories
- Social and friendship skills
- Active listening
Each half-term, the ELSAs receive professional supervision to give assurance that safe practice is being maintained at all times and to ensure the ongoing high quality of the work being delivered.
The training recognises that children have an increased capacity to learn when they are happier in school and their emotional needs are being addressed. Ultimately, the ELSAs help to create the conditions for the children to feel safe.
What does that look like in practice? At our school, the ELSAs plan and deliver individualised programmes of support for children to develop their emotional literacy. The offer can range from a weekly to a daily session, depending on levels of need. Each child’s programme is timetabled, organised for a six-week period and then reviewed with the child, parents, Sendco and class teacher.
Initially, the class teachers will suggest children who would benefit from sessions. Triggers could be: low attendance, ongoing friendship issues, poor self-esteem, behaviour challenges, issues within the home or anything that could create a barrier to learning.
In addition to individual support, interventions are offered to small groups of children who need to develop resilience and self-regulation skills. The ELSAs also run a weekly session for our young carers.
They have their own nurture and meeting room, which is a private and safe space within the school building. Each week they write a piece for the newsletter, offering tips, updates and invitations for parents and carers to attend coffee mornings for a chat.
So far the programme has been a great success. We’ve seen improvements in academic progress, attendance and parental engagement. Both staff and students are demonstrating greater self-efficacy, stronger emotional literacy and greater emotional wellbeing.
In an ideal world every school should have a member of staff who is a trained ELSA. Being able to offer ELSA support adds a very special dynamic to our school offer, which isn’t just extended to the children but to their family, too.
Historically, we have employed external pastoral support services but having full-time ELSA-trained staff within school allows us to provide immediate intervention and support.
Ultimately, children who feel safe and secure are more likely to learn and thrive, which is what we want for all young people.
Sarah Sumner is the headteacher of Westlea Primary School in Swindon
Westlea Primary School won the Nasen Award for Primary Provision 2022. Nominations for this year’s awards close on 23 June. To find out more and submit your nomination, visit nasen.org.uk/awards
