Our ELSA's

What is ELSA?

We have two qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistants at Headlands Primary School, who have been trained by Educational Psychologists to plan and deliver programmes of support for pupils who are experiencing temporary or longer term emotional needs. Sometimes children require more support than others when faced with certain situations in life.  ELSA supports a child's emotional needs which in turn supports how a child can engage with their learning effectively.

ELSA provides support for a range of emotional needs:

• Recognising emotions
• Self-esteem
• Social skills
• Friendship skills
• Anger management
• Loss and bereavement

What do ELSA's do?

An ELSA's role is not to fix a child's problems but to provide emotional support for the child.  We aim to establish a warm, respectful relationship with a pupil and to provide a reflective space where they are able to share honestly their thoughts and feelings.

How does ELSA work?

ELSA is often delivered on a 1:1 basis usually for a 6-week programme, but sometimes a group approach is more appropriate.  A child is referred for ELSA by the class teacher, a senior leader or the SENCo and parents are always informed prior to the ELSA programme starting.  The sessions are then planned accordingly to facilitate the pupil in developing new skills and coping strategies that allow them to manage social and emotional demands more effectively.  At the end of the intervention, the ELSA support is reviewed and parents are provided with a summary of feedback.