Gastrells Community Primary School is a rural primary school in Gloucestershire offering a range of different early support, wellbeing and mental health programmes to children and parents in their school community. These programmes include 1:1 and group social interventions, social and emotional aspects of learning, Nurture Group, play therapy and Video Interaction Guidance. They aim to ensure emotional wellbeing is at the heart of the school.
Gastrells Community Primary School is a rural primary school in Gloucestershire offering a range of different early support, wellbeing and mental health programmes to children and parents in their school community. These programmes include 1:1 and group social interventions, social and emotional aspects of learning, Nurture Group, play therapy and Video Interaction Guidance. They aim to ensure emotional wellbeing is at the heart of the school.
Identification of need
Earlier and improved identification of need and support is achieved through wellbeing questionnaires, staff mental health first aid training, self-referral, and individualised care plans. Gastrells also has links to outside agencies including Family Lives, local children and young people’s mental health services, Young Carers, Safeguarding and Virtual School.
In-school support
The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average within the school. A significant number of pupils have a My Plan, My Plan plus or EHC plan. They have a Communication & Interaction centre where children receive support when they are identified with language acquisition needs. Most children in the centre have a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder with often complex, additional needs and present on admission with some very challenging behavioural difficulties. These children work within the centre and join mainstream classes for a range of activities.
Developing the service
To help achieve the school’s wellbeing aims, Gastrells participates in Gloucestershire Healthy Living and Learning, a programme developed with teachers to help schools improve health related outcomes using evidence-based practice. The programme provides support to enable schools to self-assess, collect baseline data from pupil surveys and identify ways to improve health and wellbeing within the school. The programme also provides a framework and tools for delivering personal, social, health and economic education, with a process for quality assurance.
Why they are an example of positive practice
Gastrells aims to provide a warm and friendly learning environment, where an atmosphere of mutual respect and tolerance is nurtured. We believe that this environment fosters intellectual stimulation and challenges, which enables each child to achieve their best, and helps them to develop the adaptability and initiative to contribute to a fast changing world. We actively seek the involvement of parents and the local community in children’s learning. Our school community places a high value on the individual, and gives equal emphasis to promoting confidence, co-operation, independence and readiness for future learning.
Further details
Commissioning
Local authority
Providers
Gastrells Community Primary School
Workforce (WTE)
7 teachers, 14 teaching assistants, 0.8 special needs coordinator
Population size
All ages – 117381, under 18 – 23899 (2016 ONS mid-year population estimates)
Age
4 to 11 years’ old
Caseload
The school has an above average number of children with special educational needs and disability (10% compared to national average of 1.4%)
Prevention and resilience – universal and early intervention for at risk
Access and advice – consultation lines, triage and signposting
