Transforming School Wellbeing: A Success Story at Westgate Primary

Introduction: The Journey Begins

At Teaching Times Training, we believe that the wellbeing of students and teachers is the cornerstone of academic success. Our recent collaboration with Westgate Primary School exemplifies this belief. This case study delves into the transformative journey we embarked on with Westgate Primary, highlighting the profound impact of our “Raising Attainment through Wellbeing” program.

Understanding the Problem: The Need for Holistic Wellbeing

Westgate Primary School had a well-regarded wellbeing provision, but they recognized the need for more advanced tools and resources to ensure they were offering the best mental health support to their pupils. As an educational institution, they faced numerous challenges exacerbated by Covid-19 disruption. These included managing behavior effectively, supporting neurodiverse learners, and addressing the cognitive impact of poverty. The school sought a comprehensive approach to improve their wellbeing framework and accelerate academic progress.

The Initial Consultation: Setting Clear Objectives

When we first engaged with Matthew W., Headteacher at Westgate Primary, he emphasized the need for a program that could provide in-depth training, relevant background reading, and practical tools. Our team conducted a thorough assessment of their existing provisions and identified key areas needing improvement. We aimed to re-examine their approach to behavior management, review school culture, and apply the latest neuroscience knowledge to support neurodiverse learners.

Implementing Change: Strategies and Approaches

Our “Raising Attainment through Wellbeing” program is designed to unlock academic achievement by addressing emotional and mental health needs. Here’s how we implemented it at Westgate Primary:

Re-examining Behavior Management: We helped reframe their understanding of behavior from a punitive perspective to one that is trauma-informed and relationships-driven.

Cultural Review: We conducted a deep dive into the school culture and classroom environment to uncover barriers affecting student performance.

Poverty’s Impact: Our training provided insights into how poverty influences cognitive behavior, equipping staff with strategies to mitigate these effects.

Neuroscience Application: We applied neuroscience principles to create classrooms that cater to neurodiverse learners through cognitive and metacognitive practices.

Assistive Technologies: We introduced advanced assistive technologies to remove individual learning barriers caused by physical or cognitive conditions.

The Ripple Effect: Enhanced Collaboration

The program fostered a collaborative environment where colleagues worked together more effectively than ever before. This synergy accelerated practice development within the school. The positive impact was palpable as new ideas flowed freely among staff members, driven by our comprehensive resources.

Collaborative Learning at Westgate Primary — Colleagues at Westgate working collaboratively to implement new practices.

The Tools for Success: Assessment and Resources

Our assessment tools played a crucial role in this transformation. They enabled the school to pinpoint precise areas for improvement. With each unit of the program came high-quality materials tailored to meet specific needs. This ensured that every aspect of their wellbeing provision was up-to-date and effective.

Assessment Tools in Use — Assessment tools helping pinpoint areas for improvement.

The Role of Student Leadership

A unique aspect of our program was involving student leaders such as School Council members and Learn2Learn ambassadors in discussions about mental wellbeing support. This inclusion not only enhanced their support offer but also fostered a sense of ownership among students.

Student Leaders Discussing Wellbeing — Student leaders actively participating in wellbeing discussions.

Sustained Impact: Long-Term Benefits

The program’s benefits extended beyond immediate improvements in wellbeing provisions:

Emotional Resilience: By addressing emotional self-regulation skills, we helped build social resilience among students.

Cohort Support: Critical cohorts such as children under-performing due to anxiety or those on SEN support experienced significant progress.

Cultural Shift: The school’s culture shifted towards being more inclusive and supportive, reducing fixed-term exclusions and creating high-performing learning communities.

Inclusive Classroom Environment — A transformed classroom environment supporting all learners.

A Testimonial from Matthew W., Headteacher

Matthew W., Headteacher at Westgate Primary, shared his thoughts on our collaboration:

“We are very glad that we enrolled in this programme as the ripples spread from its core elements throughout our school. The Raising Attainment through Wellbeing project has supported us on a journey of improvement. Our wellbeing provision is now enhanced significantly—thanks to Teaching Times Training.”

The Unique Approach: Trauma-Informed Practices

One distinctive element of our approach was integrating trauma-informed practices into everyday teaching methods. Understanding how trauma affects learning allowed us to create safer and more supportive environments where all children could thrive academically.

The Neuroscience Edge

Applying cutting-edge neuroscience research was another unique aspect that set our program apart. By grounding classroom practices in cognitive science, we ensured that strategies were evidence-based and highly effective for neurodiverse learners.

Applying Neuroscience in Classrooms — Classroom strategies grounded in neuroscience principles.

Your Pathway to Success: Join Us!

Inspired by Westgate Primary’s success? Your school can experience similar transformative benefits by enrolling in our “Raising Attainment through Wellbeing” program. Whether through self-study packages or bespoke coaching sessions, we offer flexible solutions tailored to your needs.

Bespoke Webinars: Targeted webinars delivered by specialist coaches.

On-Site INSET Days: Customized training sessions conducted at your school premises.

Evolving Support: Continual updates ensuring access to the latest resources and strategies.

The Call to Action: Start Your Journey Today

Don’t wait another day; start transforming your school’s culture and climate just like Westgate Primary did! Register your interest now on our website or contact us directly for more information.

Teaching Times Training stands ready to partner with you on this journey towards raising attainment through holistic wellbeing support.

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Your Partner in Educational Excellence – Teaching Times Training.

Let’s create an environment where every child can thrive both emotionally and academically!

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Testimonial:

Transforming School Wellbeing: A Success Story at Westgate Primary Introduction: The Journey Begins At Teaching Times Training, we believe that the wellbeing of students and teachers is the cornerstone of academic success. Our recent collaboration with Westgate Primary School exemplifies this belief. This case study delves into the transformative journey we embarked on with Westgate Primary, highlighting the profound impact of our “Raising Attainment…

June 4, 2024 The Raising Attainment through Wellbeing project has supported us on a journey of improvement. Our wellbeing provision is well regarded at Westgate Primary School, but this programme has provided us with tools and resources to challenge us to ensure that we are offering the very best, and most up-to-date, mental health and wellbeing support to our pupils. The programme has allowed colleagues to work collaboratively in school to develop practice at a quicker pace than would otherwise have been possible and the positive impact of this work is being felt throughout our school. The assessment tools enabled us to pin-point where improvements could be made, and we were able to use the resources supplied with each unit to find the most suitable high-quality materials to meet our identified need. WESTGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL Wellbeing Pioneer School “I particularly liked that it is much more in-depth than many other pieces of training and there is so much relevant background reading that supports the core units.” REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL AND START RAISING ATTAINMENT WITH WELLBEING We now involve our School Council members and our Learn2Learn ambassadors in discussions around improving our provision of mental wellbeing support, and this has enhanced our support offer. We have improved our understanding of the effects of mental health and now have a greater awareness of the resources and organisations available to help support our constant drive to further improve our practice. We are very glad that we enrolled on the programme as the ripples that have spread from the core elements of this project are being felt throughout the school as we continually strive to raise attainment through wellbeing. MATTHEW WATSON HEADTEACHER, WESTGATE About the programme This high impact programme offers a comprehensive set of complementary strategies and approaches to unlock academic achievement and accelerate progress by: Re-examining a whole school community’s relationship with “behaviour” and “behaviour management”, creating culture and practice that is trauma-informed and relationships-driven Reviewing the school culture and classroom environment to find deep level barriers that adversely affect a proportion of children Helping staff understand the cognitive and behavioural impact of poverty and adverse social circumstances Applying the latest knowledge in the neuroscience of learning to create classrooms that support neurodiverse learners through grounded cognitive and metacognitive practice Removing individual barriers to learning, caused by physical or cognitive conditions, through the advanced deployment of Assistive Technologies This programme is designed to have a positive and sustained impact on critical cohorts of children and young people that may have lost significant ground because of Covid-19 disruption, supporting improvements in culture, climate and ethos that will enable achievement to thrive: Children who are under-performing because of anxiety, stress or distress Children and Young People receiving SEN Support (as well as those with EHCPs) Children in Care or on the edge of care Children and Young People with specific vulnerabilities (self-esteem and confidence, emotional self-regulation skills, etc.) Pupil Premium Cohort New migrants or Travellers Neurodiverse learners below the threshold for statutory SEN support WHY DO WE NEED THIS? Simply put, an anxious, frightened or angry mind simply will not learn. This Programme helps teaching professionals to understand what they can do to create an inclusive learning environment that supports and nurtures children at the highest possible levels of emotional wellbeing. It builds social and emotional resilience, by meeting the needs of neurodiverse learners, thereby accelerating progress and securing better personal outcomes. Key benefits Applicability Signposting to an array of governmental departments and agencies, third-sector organisations and businesses, with materials kept up-to-date and constantly reviewed. Designed exclusively to meet the demands of Ofsted and Estyn key inspection focus areas (in particular, creating and culture and climate that will reduce the number of fixed term and permanent exclusions, and create high performing inclusive learning communities). Wellbeing Helping professionals to understand what they can do to create a learning environment that supports and nurtures the highest possible levels of emotional wellbeing, and thus progress and achievement. Raising the levels of emotional wellbeing amongst staff as well children, helping to retain experienced professionals and support new entrants to the profession in equal measure. Support It’s available as a self-study package, but with the opportunities to commission specialist coaches to deliver targeted and bespoke webinars to groups of staff, lead on-site INSET and evaluation activity, or commissioned packages of more extensive bespoke support to drive change management.

WESTGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL Raising attainment through well being testimonial

The Raising Attainment through Wellbeing project has supported us on a journey of improvement. Our wellbeing provision is well regarded at Westgate Primary School, but this programme has provided us with tools and resources to challenge us to ensure that we are offering the very best, and most up-to-date, mental health and wellbeing support to our pupils. The programme has allowed colleagues to work collaboratively in school to develop practice at a quicker pace than would otherwise have been possible and the positive impact of this work is being felt throughout our school. The assessment tools enabled us to pin-point where improvements could be made, and we were able to use the resources supplied with each unit to find the most suitable high-quality materials to meet our identified need. WESTGATE PRIMARY SCHOOL Wellbeing Pioneer School “I particularly liked that it is much more in-depth than many other pieces of training and there is so much relevant background reading that supports the core units.” REGISTER YOUR SCHOOL AND START RAISING ATTAINMENT WITH WELLBEING We now involve our School Council members and our Learn2Learn ambassadors in discussions around improving our provision of mental wellbeing support, and this has enhanced our support offer. We have improved our understanding of the effects of mental health and now have a greater awareness of the resources and organisations available to help support our constant drive to further improve our practice. We are very glad that we enrolled on the programme as the ripples that have spread from the core elements of this project are being felt throughout the school as we continually strive to raise attainment through wellbeing. MATTHEW WATSON HEADTEACHER, WESTGATE About the programme This high impact programme offers a comprehensive set of complementary strategies and approaches to unlock academic achievement and accelerate progress by: Re-examining a whole school community’s relationship with “behaviour” and “behaviour management”, creating culture and practice that is trauma-informed and relationships-driven Reviewing the school culture and classroom environment to find deep level barriers that adversely affect a proportion of children Helping staff understand the cognitive and behavioural impact of poverty and adverse social circumstances Applying the latest knowledge in the neuroscience of learning to create classrooms that support neurodiverse learners through grounded cognitive and metacognitive practice Removing individual barriers to learning, caused by physical or cognitive conditions, through the advanced deployment of Assistive Technologies This programme is designed to have a positive and sustained impact on critical cohorts of children and young people that may have lost significant ground because of Covid-19 disruption, supporting improvements in culture, climate and ethos that will enable achievement to thrive: Children who are under-performing because of anxiety, stress or distress Children and Young People receiving SEN Support (as well as those with EHCPs) Children in Care or on the edge of care Children and Young People with specific vulnerabilities (self-esteem and confidence, emotional self-regulation skills, etc.) Pupil Premium Cohort New migrants or Travellers Neurodiverse learners below the threshold for statutory SEN support WHY DO WE NEED THIS? Simply put, an anxious, frightened or angry mind simply will not learn. This Programme helps teaching professionals to understand what they can do to create an inclusive learning environment that supports and nurtures children at the highest possible levels of emotional wellbeing. It builds social and emotional resilience, by meeting the needs of neurodiverse learners, thereby accelerating progress and securing better personal outcomes. Key benefits Applicability Signposting to an array of governmental departments and agencies, third-sector organisations and businesses, with materials kept up-to-date and constantly reviewed. Designed exclusively to meet the demands of Ofsted and Estyn key inspection focus areas (in particular, creating and culture and climate that will reduce the number of fixed term and permanent exclusions, and create high performing inclusive learning communities). Wellbeing Helping professionals to understand what they can do to create a learning environment that supports and nurtures the highest possible levels of emotional wellbeing, and thus progress and achievement. Raising the levels of emotional wellbeing amongst staff as well children, helping to retain experienced professionals and support new entrants to the profession in equal measure. Support It’s available as a self-study package, but with the opportunities to commission specialist coaches to deliver targeted and bespoke webinars to groups of staff, lead on-site INSET and evaluation activity, or commissioned packages of more extensive bespoke support to drive change management.

Matthew W

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