Page 49 - SEN114 September/October 2021

About the authors
Donna Gale-Page is CEO
of SendEducation and Pathway2Independence. Donna is a former headteacher and educational consultant.
Kerryn Thomas is the SENCo at The Romsey School in Hampshire. After starting her career in South Africa she has been working in the UK for over 20 years.
SEMH
“What can make a big difference is not necessarily expensive
or unrealistic”
COVID message has shown us that catchy messaging catches on - everyone knows it, everyone lives it. A school’s vision is much the same. Three words that can be powerful if they are ‘lived experience’.
Annie Eagle, Head teacher of The Romsey School shares how she created a school vision to support the needs of the whole school community:
“To build a vision that’s fit for purpose for the 21st century school, I started by working out my own personal purpose, or my ‘why’ as per Simon Sinek. For me, the heart of a school which can meet all students’ needs is one of utmost care. That school cares whilst maintaining the highest of expectations for, and belief in, all young people succeeding. Two words resonated in this regard-‘Compassionate Excellence’.
The next steps were to ensure that this vision was co- constructed with colleagues and community. To effect long-term change and to take people with me, I knew I needed to develop a vision that was truly shared. We set about engaging the staff body in a ‘what three words’ exercise. Colleagues chose three words they felt described a school of compassionate excellence, and encapsulated The Romsey School of the future.
Aspire, Care, Include
Each colleague has contributed to this vision, and each word within this vision has great value. It’s taken a year. In some ways it isn’t the final vision that matters as much as the enlightening discussions we’ve had along the way. At times some colleagues may have considered why I was ‘still talking about those three words’ but it’s been fascinating to discuss our purpose as a school. This has enabled us to unpick our belief systems. We’ve spent considerable time considering what ‘aspire’ ‘care’ and ‘include’ really mean to us at Romsey. Eventually we have established what we all share as common goals. The aim of the vision is to establish a coherent approach moving forward to meet all of our students’ needs and ensure they are ready to ‘rise to the challenges of their future’. I am confident we have made strides forward in this regard, despite the pandemic.”
Annie’s cultural change, through her collaborative vision shaping, will support the children and communities she works with. Vision informs and shapes culture, culture leads to consistency and coherence. Consistency and coherence leads to change - change for the better.
Matching need to provision
Young people report that what can make a big difference is not necessarily expensive or unrealistic. A point of contact, a place
to go and staff awareness of need. Staff must show they care, and understand that behaviour stems from need. In lessons, opportunities will present to model teamwork and emotional intelligence. Schools also need to involve, inform and support parents if interventions are to be successful and embedded.
Gauging the correct level of intervention is vital. In every school, universal interventions aimed at all students will benefit. Targeted interventions, aimed at some students, will be needed to supplement this and specialist interventions will be needed for a few.
On a whole-school level, coaching methods can support staff to develop and improve both their resilience and their practice through reflection and joint learning. Consider mindfulness training for staff and students, restorative approaches, access to exercise, food and water. Question if the school needs to revisit their behaviour policy: is it fit for purpose?
On a more targeted level, the PACE model, Attachment Based mentoring, Emotion Coaching, ELSA, Motivational Interviewing, positive behaviour support, active reflective listening, nurture groups and group based therapies can be offered.
For the few students in need of more specialist intervention, funding may need to be diverted. I hear the cries of “easier said than done” - but, some things are out of our control and our area of expertise. We return to the phrase from earlier - “Schools tread the fine tightrope of balancing the needs of the individual against the needs of the school”.
The most important aspect in building a culture to support SEMH needs is to know, live and experience those needs. It’s more than a policy or a set of procedures - this is someone’s life and someone’s future. You need to unpick the behaviours and target the need, using the whole school vision or ethos to make sure every member of the community feels supported; supported in providing the provision and supported by the provision.
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