Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning

Philosophy for Children: emotional literacy in Year 6

Three years after they first started practising Philosophy for Children, Year 6 children, one parent and two of their teachers recorded what the experience had meant for them. We publish below an edited excerpt from the resulting DVD read more

Can happiness be taught?

Some participants in a phone-in programme about the roll-out of SEAL thought that happiness could not or should not be taught, and that it was simply a question of 'common sense'. Emotional literacy coordinator Julie Leoni explains why she disagrees

Bringing school governors into Circle Time

If you thought that Circle Time was just for children, think again! Jenny Mosley explains why the Whole School Quality Circle Time Model focuses first on enhancing the mental health of the adults read more

What makes a PRU successful?

A recent Ofsted survey of 28 good or outstanding PRUs sought to identify what contributes to effective practice. It also reveals some of the barriers to it, including insufficient data from schools and LAs and inadequate decisions about long-term placement read more

Communication friendly spaces - early years

Elizabeth Jarman looks at the impact of the physical learning environment on young children’s speaking and listening skills read more

From personalised to person-centred

Michael Fielding, professor at London’s Institute of Education, argues that we need to think a lot harder about what we mean by personalised learning if current developments are to engage people actively in their learning

Raising achievement through extended schools

Principal Ian Johnson describes how an extended school day and a high level of community involvement are central to the strategy for raising achievement at The Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate read more

Making secondary SEAL work

Raising Achievement Update summarises the useful learning that emerged from the secondary pilot of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme read more

School Emotional Environment for Learning Survey

SEELS (School Emotional Environment for Learning Survey) is a valuable tool to help schools build a more emotionally literate ethos through SEAL read more

Making time for intimacy

Waiting for the birth of her second baby boy, drama teacher and head of emotional literacy Julie Leoni reflects on the difference between teacher time and mummy time read more

Emotional intelligence helps transition

A study conducted by Pam Qualter and her colleagues at the University of Lancashire explores the role of emotional intelligence in supporting students as they move to secondary school

Attachment: Supporting young children's emotional wellbeing

Juliet Neil-Hall discusses the importantance of attachment and meeting the emotional needs of young children and their parents

Tools to ensure healthy relationships

Annie Beaumont says that honesty, respect and trust are the foundations for getting on together read more

Risk taking, trust and disclosure: forming safe attachments

Julie Leoni, head of emotional literacy at the Marches School in Shropshire, found her thoughts about attachment and trust challenged by the experience of acting as a support for a girl giving policy testimony about being sexually abused

SEAL strategy for secondary schools

Raising Achievement Update looks at what the eight school case studies included in the secondary SEAL resources had to say about how schools can shape an emotionally literate ethos read more

Building emotional safety in groups

Raising Achievement Update looks at a book that describes practical ways of meeting the challenges of implementing circle time in secondary schools and why it can be so valuable read more

Facing up to loss

How can we help young people deal better with the losses they experience? Secondary drama teacher and SEAL coordinator Julie Leoni reflects on her own experiences read more

Putting wellbeing at the centre

Yeading Junior in Hayes has evolved its strategy for putting emotional health and wellbeing at the centre of the curriculum. Headteacher Carole Jones describes how

Focus on social development

It will take understanding and patience to shape a situation where all schools focus as much on wellbeing as on attainment argues Colleen McLaughlin, a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Education in Cambridge read more

Philosophical enquiry improves learning outcomes

Evidence is emerging in Scotland that links secondary school pupils’ progress and emotional intelligence to the use of philosophical enquiry as a learning approach in primary schools. read more

Thinking Through School: building a learning community

In this month’s in-depth focus Anne De A’Echevarria talks about the Thinking Through School approach to learning-focused innovation. She describes the model and, using examples, explores successful implementation in schools and how the impact can be seen to be more than school-wide

Flexible working at school and at home

What happens when your child AND your partner are both at home sick? Secondary drama teacher Julie Leoni discusses the issues raised by her experiences read more

Emotionally intelligent schools

This is what secondary drama teacher Julie Leoni and Bristol Learning Initiative director James Wetz said at a recent Antidote conference about the emotional factors that need addressing if we are to close the achievement gap. read more

Behaviour as communication

Using attachment theory, educational therapist Heather Geddes elaborates on James Wetz’s idea that behaviour is a form of communication about social and emotional experience that we need to understand before we decide how we are going to intervene. read more

Taking account of emotions in student-teacher relationships

Sue Roffey describes her way of thinking about how to relate more deeply with students in the classroom

Building a learning organisation

A learning partner can help you influence your organisation to move in a more emotionally literate direction, as Peter Sharp, director of learning for MouchelParkman, explains read more

The progress of PSHE

James Park reflects on the progress of personal, social and health education in education today

Children coping with divorce

Unfortunately a large percentage of children have direct experience with divorce. Nikki Parker advises on how to help children young people cope with divorce and similar family disruptions

Male teachers: role models in the classroom

Bob Jelley argues that success is essential since, for many youngsters, a teacher may be one of the most significant male role models in their lives. read more

The importance of physical touch

Psychologist Sylvia Clare discusses the importance of physical touch in helping children and young people reconnect to learning.

Raising standards through wellbeing

Antidote director James Park and development director Marilyn Tew describe the challenge that schools face if they are to address a decline in student wellbeing between Years 5 and 10

Mental health in schools: getting support, feeling better

Drawing on his personal and professional experiences, Mark Prever highlights how important it is for schools to actively seek ways to enhance the emotional wellbeing of their pupils. He also makes the case for pupils to have an entitlement to counselling

Problem-solving skills: getting on with others

In a second extract from his book, psychologist Steve Killick describes two approaches to engaging young people in problem-solving conversations. read more

Counselling: a powerful but limited tool

Counselling is often touted as a solution to challenging behaviour and as a way of meeting needs that are beyond the scope of a school’s pastoral care mechanisms. But is it? Adrian King, independent health education consultant and qualified counsellor looks at what it can realistically deliver. read more

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