Summer Update

Wow what a start to the service. We are now working with over 20 Secondary schools in the East Midlands area. We are advising on behaviours as a communication for many young people currently struggling in school for many different reasons. We have worked strategically with SENDCos, senior leaders and Heads to be advise and ‘unpick’ why a young person is struggling and how we can implement strategies (for school and young person) to be able to progress forward. We have spent time with parents, the young person, classroom observations and in meetings. We truly believe building positive relationships with the young person and their support network gives such insight as to how we can help. This may be through unmet SEN needs, trauma or EBSA. Quite often things can be easily fixed once we reach the heart of the issue. I believe we have dealt with every complex need in the past 7 months – but we have absolutely loved it.

So often nurture is the missing key. Young people may not feel heard, may not be managing, may have things on their mind outside of school. They may find the work too hard but will not embarrass themselves to admit to Teachers that they are struggling. They then fall further behind, and the gaps get wider, or they stop attending class or school. After a while they give up. All young people can thrive with nurture in the classroom. I have been reading an excellent article recently which highlights this perfectly. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/education/radical-vision-that-kept-troubled-children-in-school-and-cut-crime-a4328106.html  In all my years in teaching, I rarely came across a Teacher, TA, support staff etc that didn’t want to help a child. That’s why they came into the profession. Time is so short in our education world, sometimes just having me to consult, read everything, spend time with the young person and family/professionals around the child, helps the staff to understand in such limited time that they have. We can then work together with staff to drive change and make a difference. It clearly is having a huge impact with children returning to education (in one case 4 years later!) and permanent exclusions are dramatically reduced. ESBA is now being coming more and more of an issue, and young people are not getting the education for their futures. This breaks my heart and takes me back to the case of Katy, (Testimonial - website) who had been out of school for so long. My passion again, to give hope, confidence and a creative education to ‘think outside of the box’ for each young person in this situation. To see how far Katy has come, proves things can change for the better.

I have also been supporting parents whereby they have needed help to advocate for them with a school or local authority. I have seen so many children out of education or struggling to access education due to their trauma, mental health or SEN need. A BBC news article describes the young people as ‘Ghost children’ as since COVID, so many children have not returned to the classroom. Terri White: How I fear for the 'ghost children' missing from school - BBC News As so many special schools are oversubscribed, children are needing to remain in mainstream settings, but staff are struggling to be able to support them as they haven’t had the training, or the knowledge how to – not because they don’t want to. That’s where my work can be key to help all. Looking at the ‘whole’ young person, what is working, what is not, is the starting point. Most situations can get better if we join together to find a solution. And we will.

I have supported whereby a young person required a more specialised setting. I have created bespoke education packages to enable a young person to continue to learn, taking into account their needs, hopes and desires. I have worked tirelessly with schools to implement transitional plans for young people to return to education increasing attendance but more importantly, giving the young people the confidence and resilience to believe in themselves that they can do it

I have conducted safeguarding audits in schools too. I love to do this as welfare and safeguarding is paramount for each and every young person & staff and I get to see the wonderful work that is happening in schools to make sure everyone is safe.

Excitingly, Approach Education Ltd has recently been commissioned to deliver bespoke 6 week courses to 10 CiC children at a Coventry secondary school. School have been proactive with their pupil premium funds and decided to use this for each young person through an individualised bespoke course to target the areas which school feel they (CiC) need to develop. Whether this is confidence building, building relationships, resilience building, protective behaviours etc it’s all personalised for each young person. In light of the recent article Pupil premium: Schools told spending must be 'backed by evidence' (schoolsweek.co.uk) I really hope I can commission more of this work so I can make a difference to each child in a different way.

So, the rest is nearly over, back to start again in September. I am grateful for all of those who support me, believe in me, commission me but most of all the young people who share their fears, worries and barriers to their education. Together, we will give young people the futures and aspirations they deserve.

If you do have any questions, comments – please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Bye for now!

Emma