How to build effective school interventions for Gen Z

Teacher with iPad plans school interventions

Delivering school interventions for a generation of tech-savvy pupils calls for a new approach, says Nicola Hankey, teacher and SEND co-ordinator at Ludworth Primary School… The children in today’s classrooms have grown up with technology and can’t imagine life without tablets, apps and emojis. They form part of Generation Z born in the early 2000s or later, and are true digital masters. Unlocking the potential of Generation Z pupils with SEN presents new challenges, and while there is no one size fits all solution, here are some of the strategies I have found to be effective. 1. Build a dream team Harness the power of digital communications by sharing information with the people involved in supporting a child. Your dream team should consist of the parents or carers, teachers, the SENCo or intervention teacher and of course – the child. Send regular updates to keep the team informed, and ensure everyone is pulling together towards the same goals. 2. Listen to the pupil  Generation Z pupils are encouraged to be independent thinkers, so try involving the child in making decisions and setting targets. I sometimes use a smiley face questionnaire to ask questions like, ‘Do you enjoy working in pirate club?’ For some children with SEN, emojis may not be the ideal solution. Voice-activated software that records their views might be a better option and ties into their love of tech. 3. Boost confidence On the whole, Generation Z thrives on praise and rewards, and helping children with SEN to recognise their own strengths is essential. Always explain what the praise is for, such as learning a new word, or trying hard with their reading. Build confidence in pupils with SEN by asking them to help with a classroom task, or recommend a book to a classmate. 4. Make school interventions interesting  Shorter attention spans are a characteristic of Generation Z, so it can be more challenging to keep these pupils on task. Technology helps here as it speeds up essential activities. For example, we use eye-tracking software from Lexplore to assess progress in reading before and after an intervention, which only takes a matter of minutes. And an app or online tool often provokes less anxiety in children with learning difficulties than pen and paper. 5. Get out and about Although tech has a vital role in educating Generation Z, there’s a tendency to overdo the screen time, so venturing outdoors provides a fresh perspective on learning. Activities such as gardening club or forest school motivates children to work together and explore new experiences. All pupils can benefit from outdoor learning with the help of specialist resources and equipment, such as adapted trim trails with side rails to help children balance more easily, or wheelchair-friendly pathways. One child may not respond to an initial support plan that has worked for 10 other children, and it can take time to find the key to unlocking their learning. However, by trying out new tools and approaches, you will find something that works for them. With over 25 years leadership and teaching experience, Nicola Hankey BEd Hons, NPQH, NASENCO is a teacher and SEND co-ordinator at Ludworth Primary School in Cheshire and a @LexploreUK consultant.

We must get children moving more to boost mental wellbeing

A class exercises: We must get children moving more to boost mental wellbeing

For too long, the system has treated physical and mental health as separate entities. This Children’s Mental Health Week, Imogen Buxton-Pickles, Co-Founder of ‘Netflix-style’ schools active learning and PE resource imoves, says activity needs to be a key part of the resilience toolbox we equip students with to improve their daily and life-long wellbeing. Mental health is a complex issue, and even more so when we’re talking about the emotional wellbeing of children and young people. There are many people who have a part to play in tackling problems when they arise – including parents, health professionals and of course teachers too. With teachers spending large amounts of time with their pupils, and helping shape their futures in so many ways, it can feel as though a large proportion of the burden when it comes to identifying and then solving mental health and wellbeing problems is placed on them. Building resilience, teaching young people to effectively deal with stress, maximising their mental wellbeing, and minimising the potential impact of any current or future diagnosable mental health problem requires equipping them with a toolbox of coping mechanisms. But how do we do this when time is already so stretched with everything else which is required of schools? And what should be in that toolbox?  A key element which is often overlooked when we talk about children’s mental health is the amount of physical exercise they’re getting, with the two often treated as separate topics. We all know there are Government guidelines to aspire to when it comes to daily activity levels (60 minutes a day, half of which should be achieved during school time), and equally we know getting active has a wholly positive impact on anyone’s wellbeing. The direct benefits linked to activity (which I have seen first-hand within the 600 schools in the imoves family) include better concentration, enhanced motivation, and a boost in emotional resilience, social skills and confidence. The impact of improving all these simply cannot be underestimated when it comes to mental health. Of course, it’s not a magic solution and won’t always cure diagnosable conditions. But it can build the inherent coping skills needed for pupils to face the stresses of school and later life in the most positive way possible. And it can help to minimise the symptoms of depression, anxiety and other illnesses such as poor sleep, poor motivation, and a lack of self-esteem. And yet with so many demands on the time available at school and so many aspects of children’s lives which teachers are tasked with positively impacting, physical activity can easily slide down the scale of importance, relegated to a session or two within the week rather than being fully incorporated into every aspect of the timetable. But physically active children will see both short- and long-term benefits.  In the short term, they will see an immediate boost to their mental wellbeing and feeling of happiness in the classroom – this goes for teachers who join in with being active in the classroom as well!  Activity increases levels of the ‘happiness hormone’ serotonin, as well as increased levels of dopamine and noradrenaline which improves motivation, perception and focus.  As a result, the children will immediately feel more motivated, focused on learning and behave better even after just a few minutes of activity. In addition, the activity also provides an opportunity to develop the supporting tools required for mental wellbeing; be they communication, teamwork, resilience, confidence and social wellness as the children work with each other.    In the long-term, inspiring a passion for physical activity – whether that be dance, Pilates, football, anything which they might enjoy and keep up with during later life – is a vital component for that wellbeing and resilience toolbox. Working with schools to incorporate movement into every lesson – perhaps a few stretches when a class is struggling to focus during the afternoon lull, an active game when students are answering maths questions, or a five-minute warm-up to start the day off in assembly – has a huge impact not only on their physical health, but every other aspect of their holistic wellbeing too. It’s such a simple concept – albeit that teachers need the confidence and support materials to be able to implement the programme into the school day – but it has the ability to transform the way pupils approach school, how they think about exercise, and the way they feel about themselves. In short, it adds a lifelong skill to their toolbox. Opening the doors of possibility by making activity a key part of pupils’ lives early on means they will hopefully use going for a walk, dancing, or visiting the gym as respite from the pressures of life throughout their adult years too. So, rather than seeing exercise as a chore, it’s seen as a positive outlet for stress. It’s estimated an overwhelming 50 per cent of mental health problems are established by the time a child is 14, and ten per cent of children aged between five and 16 have a diagnosable mental health problem. Sadly, these numbers are on the increase – and we know from the Children’s Society that 70% of children experiencing poor mental health have not had appropriate interventions from an early age. To begin reversing the growing numbers of young people impacted, we need to ensure their wellbeing toolbox is full to the brim of useful coping mechanisms – to coincide with any professional support which may be needed. Reaping the emotional benefits of physical activity is a huge part of that toolbox and incorporating regular movement into every classroom schedule goes a long way towards helping them understand the link between their physical and mental health. It’s our duty to equip pupils with coping mechanisms, and the importance and impact of activity simply must not be overlooked,” Imogen Buxton-Pickles. Webinar For more information about how to support mental wellbeing in your classroom, please visit imoves to access a 45-minute webinar which will

New feedback tool launched to identify and improve teacher wellbeing

Happy teacher in hallway after using feedback tool to improve teacher wellbeing

Developed by leading education specialists and psychologists, the feedback tool is specifically tailored to help senior leaders improve teacher wellbeing and retention   In a drive to improve engagement and address teacher wellbeing, a new tool has been launched to provide continual feedback loops which can be used to identify the pressures school staff may be facing, develop tailored action plans and transform school culture and teachers’ working lives. Developed by the world’s largest community of teachers, Tes Global, in partnership with an educational psychologist and UK and international schools, Staff Pulse gives school leaders the ability to gather anonymous, real-time data and insights from staff across 21 different categories, including workload, support, communication and enjoyment. According to the Health and Safety Executive, teaching staff and education professionals report the highest rates of work-related stress, depression and anxiety in Britain. Subsequently, Ofsted has increased its emphasis on teacher wellbeing and its impact on the wellbeing of students in schools in its latest Inspection Framework. Supporting the Government’s strategy to address teacher recruitment and retention, Staff Pulse has been specifically designed to deliver a positive work environment and ensure staff are happy in their school and career. Using the feedback and insights, senior leaders can better understand the evolving views of their staff, identify key pressure points and continually refine responsive action plans tailored to their needs. The different categories which can be tailored for staff, identify key drivers of satisfaction and allow for a granular response to building and measure the impact of an action plans and measuring the impact of the plans. This regular feedback empowers school leaders to build an inclusive and transparent culture that attracts, engages and retains the best staff, without adding to their workloads. Carla Bennett, Headteacher of Sherford Vale School in Plymouth has been using Staff Pulse over the last few months. She said: “I send the pulse to my staff every Wednesday. I read the results as part of SLT and note down any action points. We set up an action plan for ‘communication’ which was rated the least effective and gave staff chance to comment upon improvements. As a result, staff feel like they are listened to and have a say and we are actioning or providing reasons why some of their suggestions are not possible. As a result, this has increased staff morale and the pulse rating for the school has increased. Staff and leaders like using the pulse and have recommended it to another MAT who are in the process of setting it up.” This new tool also supports teachers by providing a way to share honest feedback about how they feel without fear of judgement or repercussions, and senior leaders can gather and analyse insights to track success and improve areas for development. Responses and scores can also be compared to the national average, giving senior leaders their own benchmarks as well as a guide to how other schools are performing. Caroline Wright, Director General of BESA said: “Teacher wellbeing is something that should concern us all. If teachers are anxious or stressed, this effects their ability to prepare, which severely hinders children’s education. Schools need to be supported to monitor how their teachers feel and take action quickly, in order to maintain a confident positive staffroom.” Tes Global Product Director, Funmi Alassan, involved with Staff Pulse since its inception, said: “We developed Staff Pulse after listening to schools across the world. Senior Leadership Teams at schools want to know what their staff are thinking and how they are feeling so they can provide the right level of support and promote their wellbeing. Staff Pulse provides schools with regular robust anonymous feedback that can translate directly into action plans. It’s a key part of Tes’s mission to support teachers to have time to do what they do best – teach.” www.tes.com/for-schools/empower/staff-pulse  

Exploring SEN funding in 2020 

SEN funding - Jules Daulby

Seeing a child with special educational needs (SEN) blossom in school can be one of the most rewarding aspects of our jobs. But pupils with SEN require extra support for which tailored classes, specially trained teachers and adaptable classrooms all play a part. Needing these additional resources means you’ll likely rely on having access to enough SEN funding to help the pupil thrive in school.  But, as inclusion and literary expert Jules Daulby highlights, this access isn’t always guaranteed. In partnership with Daulby, specialist lawyers Bolt Burdon Kemp have created a filterable table of some of the key facts and figures regarding the SEN landscape. Some of the insights they provide, which will help schools decide which direction to take their SEN provision in 2020, include:  1.    The proportion of pupils with SEN rose for a third consecutive year in 2019 In 2019, pupils with SEN represented 14.9% of the overall student body compared to 14.6% in 2018 and 14.4% in 2017. It’s difficult to pinpoint the reason for this steady increase, says Daulby, pointing out that it could simply be that the system is getting better at identifying children with SEN.  Daulby does note that “more boys tend to get SEN support than girls, as girls generally don’t have the behavioural issues associated with SEN. This often leads to their needs being missed, as their traits may not be as easily identified as with boys.” It’s likely, therefore, that there are hundreds more female pupils with SEN that have been missed by the system. 2.    London now gets more SEN funding than any other region As you might expect, the capital city gets more high needs funding than any other region in England. But, while London gets £22.9 million more in high needs funding than the South East, the South East is home to the greatest number of SEN students. The South East is also home to more specialist schools dedicated to SEN students.  This discrepancy might risk putting SEN students – and the schools that cater to them – on the back foot. “What’s more,” says Daulby, “the government needs to tackle the problem of the SEN notional budget that asks schools to contribute their own budget to cater to SEN pupils. It puts inclusive schools at a perverse disadvantage.” 3.    Changes in the system may be leaving SEN pupils behind  According to Daulby, “there are likely to be many children who used to be identified with SEN who aren’t now.” With changes to the system that has seen SEN identification go from a 5-stage risk classification to two stages, children who previously had SEN support may find themselves being left by the wayside. If children with special needs and disabilities don’t qualify as either needing SEN support or needing an Educational, Health and Care plan, they may be left without the backing they need to thrive. The need for additional SEN funding is a continuous – and ever-present – conversation that headteachers, deans and everyone in the school system concern themselves with on a regular basis. Keeping ourselves abreast of the trends – and shortcomings – in the way the government allocates that funding can help us plan better, allowing us to better cater for students who need it the most. 

About the Primary Mathematics Challenge


Student from Tudor Court taking the Primary Mathematics Challenge


The Primary Mathematics Challenge is a fun and exciting mathematical Challenge aimed at pupils in years 5 and 6 England and Wales, P6 and P7 in Scotland, and Years 6 and 7 in Northern Ireland. The PMC is open to schools and home-schooled pupils only. To find out more please check our FAQs. The PMC is not designed to be just another test in the school year.  We are of the belief that the PMC encourages enthusiasm, boosts confidence in mathematics and shows the different way questions can be asked. We believe in the importance of Problem Solving as a means of helping pupils develop their reasoning skills. “A very well organised competition, easy to access and administer, the tough questions went far beyond the material covered in our Maths classes but a wonderful opportunity to extend and challenge our most able mathematicians.” “A wonderful challenge, thank you.” The PMC is designed to make pupils think outside the box. The questions asked are not necessarily subjects that have been covered in the curriculum by this time, but the questions can create a great starting point and lead to discussions later in the year. We try to make sure the questions are not heavily reliant on formal mathematical knowledge but can be solved by logical reasoning. The Layout The PMC paper has 25 questions. 20 of these are multiple choice. The questions are graded; starting with easy ones and graduating to harder questions. The final five require an answer where no choices are given. Answering PMC questions does not depend on mathematical knowledge alone, but on the ability to think things through, be logical and find ways to solve problems. Pupils also need to read the questions carefully! For the November paper the teachers decide how the certificates be awarded. Decisions are therefore an ‘in-school’ task. The spirit of the PMC is that, in each school, there will be a number of gold, silver and bronze pupils who deserve certificates. We know every school has pupils of varying ability, so we do not want to limit the achievements of any pupils taking part. A number of certificates are provided in the pack. http://www.primarymathschallenge.org.uk

Clear Sky Children’s Charity

Children playing at Clear Sky Children's Charity

Clear Sky provides therapeutic services to children who have experienced trauma through the provision of Play and Creative Arts services. Our highly qualified team work with schools, parents and other professionals to provide support around the whole child, enabling children to learn to love life and enjoy school. Clear Sky is a Children’s Charity, established in 2010 providing Play and Creative Arts Therapeutic Services to Primary Schools. We also provide parenting workshops, professional training and CPD for Practitioners. Clear Sky recently developed a new professional learning body, ‘The Institute for Play and Attachment’ and in support off our growing provision for schools, we will be launching our new Framework for ‘Emotionally Healthy Schools’ at the end of January 2020. This framework will enable schools to support children’s emotional and mental health through a highly discounted subscription giving access to online therapeutic whole school CPD learning, resources, assembly modules and classroom resources, which have been developed to support teachers needs.  Clear Sky only work with fully qualified therapists to develop and provide high quality therapeutic services to schools, families and professionals. Our Charitable status enables us to subsidise services to those who need our help the most. For more information, please visit our website at: www.clear-sky.org.uk or contact us at: info@clear-sky.org.uk

Why supervision has to be on our radar

Head teacher - Lara Péchard - speaks to us about managing mental health in schools and why supervision has to be on our radar

Managing mental health in school – why supervision has to be on our radar By Lara Péchard, Headteacher at St Margaret’s School in Herts www.stmargaretsbushey.co.uk Over the last decade, pastoral work in schools has changed significantly and continues to evolve year on year.  In the majority of cases, most teachers will have joined the profession without having had any training in mental health at all, nor would they have anticipated a need to possess specialist knowledge in this area.   In truth, most teachers will have picked up varying skills in this area simply via on-the- job training.   Schools back in the noughties and earlier, managed pastoral issues in-house with the infrequent use of outsourced experts, which would usually have been managed by the family outside of school.  To put this into context this was also a time when schools didn’t get involved in online safety issues.  Today many schools will have a network of counsellors and clinical psychologists to draw upon.  It is also becoming more common for schools to engage pupils, parents and staff in all kinds of therapy, while often picking up the bill themselves.   With a rising number of mental health concerns affecting the young, support has undoubtedly struggled to keep up and at this stage it is not clear whether it can, or indeed ever should, meet demand.  Most schools are of course deeply committed to supporting young people in crisis but the truth is, as a sector we needed to get much better at dealing with mental health issues, especially those impacting young people today.  For schools though, the problem is this burden has fallen mostly to them.   Today, parents are choosing schools that are academically strong and can also provide an army of pastoral staff to deal with all eventualities.  Good schools will train up their staff investing in strong options such as Mental Health First Aid or any MIND course.  Using experienced colleagues to provide regular updates on how to deal with eating disorders, self-harm and suicide prevention and drip-feeding these across the year can also boost the confidence of a teaching team.  Using anonymised real-life case studies and having time to chat these through is stellar and affordable training, which can help bring on even the least confident.   An effective welfare officer will help to siphon off the acute cases and will naturally provide staff much needed support.  Importantly, pastoral staff need time to manage and reflect on the difficult issues that come across their desk and this is where supervision comes in.  Supervision is a type of professional counselling where teachers and staff talk through cases and their experience of them with a qualified mental health professional.  Supervision has to be on every school’s radar, it is costly in time and money but we owe it to our frontline to look after them.  Through supervision heads will also have an important outlet and with it they will improve in setting the right emotional tone and language for their school. The likelihood is, in two decades from now, schools will be amazed that supervision wasn’t automatically part of the package for those with the privilege of supporting young people with mental health concerns. As a sector we should have faith in this kind of investment as it will deliver great reward. 

School Exclusions Have Negative Impact On Students

Barry talks to QA Education about how 'School Exclusions Have Negative Impact On Students'

School Exclusions Have Negative Impact On Students Article by Barrie Laslett All across the country young people are being excluded from mainstream schools and consigned to the scrap heap of education in Pupil Referral Units (PRU’s) When a child is referred to these units it diminishes their life chances on paper. Data suggests those in a PRU are destined to either be a victim or perpetrator of knife crime. There are also strong links between PRU’s and gangs and county lines operations. The circumstances that lead to young people being referred to a PRU vary immensely.  While in theory the PRU should be a last resort, a measure taken once all other avenues have been exhausted. Sadly in practice this is not always the case.  To us working in the charity sector it seems like schools are burying their heads in the sand – taking the easy option by excluding troublesome children from a healthy learning environment and that is having a huge knock on effect on society. At The Wickers charity, we aim to reduce gang and knife related crime by supporting young people aged 8 – 18 with learning opportunities and positive role models.  From the sample of young people we work and engage with on a weekly basis, there are worrying trends to suggest that PRU are a contributing factor to the rise in knife crime. Children with behavioural disorders are disproportionately being referred, and overzealous decisions are rashly made off the back of specific incidents. For example a young person is being bullied, and is threatened with violence, that young person takes a knife to school for protection. Is a referral to the PRU the best course of action? Surely there were other courses of action that would have been more effective? Or was the incident used as an excuse to move a young person with ADHD out of mainstream school? We at The Wickers fully appreciate the pressure schools are under, and the negative impact that disruptive students can have on a class, we also recognise the responsibility is not solely with the school and teachers, and no one should expect them to have all the answers. Parents and carers have a big role to play, but again they do not have all the answers. There are organisations like ours, that are out there who can provide support.  We have seen the power of mentoring, and seen how engaged young people become when they have a positive role model they can relate to. We can also help to repair and build the relationships between the schools, parents and carers, by acting as an impartial mediator. At The Wickers we really try to understand the root cause of the issue and the needs of the young people.  This takes time, as you need to build a relationship, gain trust and get the young person engaged. The engagement can happen through a range of activities such as music and sport. Once the child is engaged you then have a better chance of understanding the root cause of their behaviour, which enables you to provide better support. There is a bigger question or debate, are PRUs in their current format the right alternative provision? I think we all know the answer to that….. 

Wellbeing and the benefits of SCITT buy-in

Young teacher with little girl - Wellbeing and the benefits of SCITT buy-in

 Wellbeing and the benefits of SCITT buy-in from current and prospective partnership schools   The latest Teacher Wellbeing Index, launched by Education Support in November, suggests that teachers are suffering from more severe psychological problems than at any point this century. Teacher stress, workload and wellbeing are also the focus of research recently published by Ofsted (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-well-being-at-work-in-schools-and-further-education-providers).   I would support further research into the impact rather of the mental caseload of those working with children since it seems this is worthy of clearer definition and understanding and allows us the progressive gift of considering, and collaborating more, with other professions who work to support children as they develop to adulthood.     Those training to teach are given increasing study and reflection time to consider their own wellbeing when faced with assessing their impact on pupil progress and the barriers to doing their bit to ensure children reach purposeful adulthood in the norm-referenced value-system, which ultimately defines our assessment procedures at each stage of public examination.   The What Works Centre for Wellbeing framework looks at factors such as physical and mental health, relationships at work, purpose (autonomy), environment and security. It seems we are more akin to the children in our care during the school day than we might have thought.    But what about beyond the school day? Teachers currently report working an average of a 51-57 hour week. You do not go into teaching for the money. Working evenings and weekends is not an exception.   In this most recent report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/teacher-well-being-at-work-in-schools-and-further-education-providers/summary-and-recommendations-teacher-well-being-research-report) teacher dissatisfaction is broken down into the following categories: volume of administrative tasks; volume of marking; staff shortages; lack of support from external specialist agencies (behaviour, SEND); challenging behaviour of pupils; changes to external exams; frequently changing government policies and regulations; and lack of skills or training.   Having worked alongside experienced colleagues as they engage increasingly with SCITT partnerships, I have personally witnessed positive effects in all these areas and therefore in wellbeing. In so many cases, SCITT mentors report back positive impact on their own teaching practice in working with initial teachers on placement. Watching someone else teach your class allows you time to reflect.   Becoming a partner with SCITT colleagues gives you access to enhanced training opportunities e.g. mental health first aid to combat mental caseload fatigue; breakthrough conversations to try on colleagues; a boost to staff recruitment and energy through salaried trainees and retention of homegrown yet highly innovative NQTs and beyond; increasingly energy-efficient approaches to marking, recording, reporting and feedback; behavioural strategies which work for children living with significant challenges – an increasing number of trainees come into teaching as parents of children with autism/ADHD; strategic disengagement routines which restore dignity to teachers as humans; Wellness Recovery Action Plan where individuals retain ownership and responsibility of their self-care; 5 ways to wellbeing role-modelling; promotion of seeking support from a range of colleagues and professional services and increased confidence in framing and owning the support required; and access to the latest audio-visual resources for classroom instruction through engagement with subject specialist support all leading to counteract the reported de-professionalisation experienced through increased lack of autonomy.   Those colleagues in partnership schools, from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Requires Improvement’, who open their minds to engaging with the wealth of opportunities available through understanding and engaging with school-centred initial teacher training, are in turn opening their schools to a re-professionalisation which rejuvenates and restores low-mood and brings about a fresh collaboration between experience and innovation, between confidence and experimentation.    If colleagues report a current lack of support from leadership in schools, buying in to local SCITT partnership allows for this support to be bolstered from colleagues who work with (rather than do to) teachers in need. 1. support with workload through sharing approaches between local schools; 2. recognition of achievement through co-analysis not judgement; 3. sourcing meaningful feedback on work through joint reflection; and 4. providing support and development through ready-forged links with organisations and thinkers who have time to support schools to make a specific difference.    Sally Price works at Oxfordshire Teacher Training as central trainer, wellbeing coach and youth and adult mental health first aid instructor. Her book in the Essential Guides for Early Career Teachers series, Mental Well-being and Self-care, edited by NASBTT Executive Director Emma Hollis and published by Critical Publishing, is out now.