Leading an Emotionally Healthy School

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Leading an Emotionally Healthy School

• Iain Hulland
• Headteacher
• Alder Grange Community Technology School

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IS Alder Grange TRULY an emotionally healthy
school?

• MAYBE NOT
• We have no Healthy School Standard in Emotional
  Health (yet).
• Not EVERY member of the school community feels
  emotionally healthy/secure all the time.
• MAYBE WE ARE. We do have
• Full Healthy School Standard
• Listening School Award
• Other indicators that we ARE getting more right
  than wrong.

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Why are we unsure?

• Until now, there has been no usable definition of
  what constitutes Emotional Health within the
  school setting.
• We have worked towards perceived need.

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Defining Our Terms What IS an emotionally
healthy school?

• KS3 National Strategy Document
• Clear moral purpose
• Valuing diversity
• Equality
• Mutual Respect Behaviour Policy and A-B Policy
• Potential for Autonomy for all
• Learning and Life Enhancement

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Defining Our Terms What IS an emotionally
healthy school?

• KS3 National Strategy Document
• Collaboration in-house and beyond
• Physical well-being safety, EL and EI

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The INTENTION is to be an Emotionally Healthy
School

• Thats where LEADERSHIP comes in.
• LEADERSHIP
• Defining the Vision,
• Refining it by sharing it
• Enabling other people to OWN it
• FINDING/CREATING ways of implementing it.

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So where are we coming from?

• Any good vision needs to be founded upon a solid
  Philosophy.
• Ours is our Values and Aims Statement
• Fundamental Purpose the successful growth and
  fulfilment of the WHOLE PERSON

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What IS the Whole Person

• Intellectual/academic
• Physical
• Social
• Moral
• Spiritual
• Cultural
• Aesthetic/Creative
• Emotional dimensions.

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Who are the people?(What is the scope of the VA
Statement?)

• Pupils
• Parents/Guardians/Carers
• Staff (all teams)
• Governors
• The Wider Community

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But translation into reality does not happen by
itself.

• Each Value Statement under each of the headings
  above is accompanied by aims.
• For aim, read REQUIRED OUTCOME.
• Each element of VA Statement is someones ROLE.
• The schools leadership structure is therefore
  based on REQUIRING delivery of these values.

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Pupils Emotional Development Pupils Emotional Development
VALUES AIMS
We believe that for all young people to achieve long term success demands that we support pupils in the acquisition of the means to understand their emotions (emotional literacy) and the means to use their emotions constructively (emotional intelligence). To provide a rigorous, disciplined but physically and emotionally secure environment in which to nurture talent, confidence and happiness as key pre-requisites for success. To support pupils in facing temporary or longer-term emotional difficulties to understand their feelings, to be able to recognize difficulties within themselves, and others. To be able to seek help for themselves or others in managing difficulties in their emotions. To support pupils to manage their feelings to remove threats to their academic and personal progress by acquiring Understanding of self Awareness of their characteristics, strengths and weaknesses, Impulse control, Persistence, Motivation and enthusiasm, Empathy, The ability to adjust to bereavement, loss and major changes in family circumstances and structure. Social deftness. To enable pupils to develop the ability to define the meaning and purpose of their own lives and to make good decisions on that basis. To enable pupils to make responsible, informed judgements about the use of opportunities and their talents. To ensure all pupils take responsibility for themselves and their actions. To enable pupils to dream and aspire, but To balance this with an ability to identify, enjoy and be content with what pupils have achieved. To support staff in being seen as good role models in all respects, including honesty in admitting to frailty, fallibility and failure. To enable pupils to contribute consciously to making this an emotionally secure environment.
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Staffing Structure.

• Deputy Head (Curriculum, Teaching Learning)
• Deputy Head (Pupil Achievement)
• (The Rubble-Strewn Road)
• Form Tutors and Year Team Leaders
• Assistant Head (Administration and Assessment)
• Assistant Head (Staff, Governors and Community
  works to DH Pupil Achievement)
• Assistant Head (Development Planning and SSE
  works to DH Curriculum, T L)

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPUPILS

• Intellectual/academic
• Pupil confidence and self-awareness
• Ability to identify progress and negotiate goals
• Target-setting
• Pupil Achievement Tracker (PAT)
• Academic monitoring and follow-up meetings
• Roles of key staff to follow-up
• Messages home
• Interviews with senior staff etc.
• Reporting systems
• Review days

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPUPILS

• Physical
• Physical health and well-being 360 degree
  STRATEGY
• Physical EDUCATION programme
• Breakfast service and early-bird sports
• Healthy eating strategy
• Anti-bullying strategy and CP systems.
• PE and extra-curricular sports
• SSCO and Junior Sports leaders
• DoE and Outward Bound systems
• Access to Health Services

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPUPILS

• Social, Moral, Spiritual, Cultural, Aesthetic.
• In addition to all-encompassing work of all staff
• SMSC Manager appointed (and paid)
• INSET for staff on making most of SMSC
  opportunities.

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPUPILS

• Emotional
• NB All children all the time 360 degrees
• Primary-Secondary strategy
• Tutorial Programme Emotional Literacy and
  Emotional Intelligence
• Hothersall Lodge study week-end
• University Preparation Programme
• Post-16 continuation links
• Mentors and Mentor Training
• Other opportunities to lead, be responsible and
  achieve
• Revision Buddies
• Rewards systems

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPUPILS

• Emotional
• For vulnerable pupils
• SEN strategies
• Virtual School, Rossendale
• Other agency links and partnerships
• BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
• HOPE (Pupil Befriending) group
• Hope boxes and Newsletters
• In-school counselling

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEPARENTS

• Parental Partnership Strategy
• Parents Handbook
• Parents INSET for each year group
• Letting them into the secret garden of the
  curriculum
• Adult Educational opportunities
• Parenting courses (to come)
• Kirkland Rowell Parental Attitude Questionnaire
  (and our responses).

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICESTAFF

• CPD/PM Strategy
• CPD Portfolios
• Wednesday 6
• Seeking partners for resources (Promethean)
• Ironing and Dry Cleaning service.
• Staff Room refurbishment and Study/Work room
• Classroom Environment reviews and revamps
• Fitness Room access
• School Nurse access
• Leave of Absence

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INTENTIONS INTO PRACTICEGovernors

• Induction programme
• Constitution
• School-based and LEA INSET
• Support from key school staff

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Why bother? Is it just another chore?

• Philosophically, its the right thing to do.
• Its good business
• Specialist School
• Leading Edge School
• (almost) Training School
• Ofsted Outstanding School
• Most Improved list, 3x in 6 years
• Design Council Project
• National Teaching Awards recognition
• ALL because people are emotionally secure
  (mostly!)

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• It delivers Every Child Matters
• Its a vehicle for the Personalization Agenda.

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LEADING an emotionally healthy school

• Whole-school philosophy (Values, Aims)
• SYSTEMS for defining what can and should happen
• SYSTEMS for MAKING it happen -gt
• ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES of key staff
• MONITORING PROCEDURES
• EVALUATION criteria and methodologies.

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How do we get staff to buy in?

• What worked for us
• Getting the Climate right.
• Values and Aims Statement Working Group
• Consultations etc. a professional and human
  response
• Is what we do good enough for MY/THEIR child?
• What is learned about work for THEIR emotional
  health (in some cases not many)
• Post and Person Specifications
• Relate to Performance Management standards
• Themselves linked to School Self-Evaluation work
  and Ofsted preparation.
• Marginalising nay sayers
• Supporting ALL the positive responses
• Promotions and appointments
• Ultimately, recognizing that it makes a better
  place to be and a more successful school.

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• Head_at_aldergrange.com