‘Cwtch Room’ introduced to school
Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School has a significant number of pupils on the roll who have multiple risk factors in their lives and the school aims to provide a nurturing and caring environment for them all.
The school has launched a family and community engagement programme which offers parents and carers workshops in literacy, numeracy, digital learning and school readiness. It also includes a school holiday enrichment programme that allows children to receive a hot meal once a day and to take part in activities that focus on health, nutrition and wellbeing outside of term time.
In addition, a family support co-ordinator and two pastoral care support workers have been appointed, who are trained in nurture programmes and trauma informed practice. These members of staff run daily nurture sessions for pupils identified as in need of therapy to support their individual needs. They also hold weekly anxiety groups and mindfulness sessions to support mental health issues and to promote good wellbeing in pupils.
The Headteacher of Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School, Justine Baldwin, said: “As a Church in Wales School, our Christian values are very important to us, and due to the specific demands in the lives of many of our pupils, we endeavour to provide an inclusive nurturing and caring environment for all pupils, which is rooted in these gospel values.
“We hope that despite the challenges that are faced by many of our pupils in their daily lives, the nurturing support that we can provide for them and their families will allow for positive change and brighter futures.”
Earlier this year, the school opened a Cwtch Room for pupils at playtimes who find it harder to engage in play. The room is staffed by the pastoral care workers who support pupils with their relationships and enable them to cope with stressful situations.
The school has also introduced the Transforming Lives for Good programme which supports children who have experienced trauma in their lives and is proving very enriching for these pupils.
Mrs Baldwin added: “These nurturing programmes are designed to ensure the whole school community maintains a focus on pupil nurture. A Health and Wellbeing Distributed Leadership Team comprising staff, governors, parents and children discusses policies, practice and issues related to the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff.”
Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School is currently located across three sites in Welshpool and has more than 300 pupils. Work was stopped on the development of a new school for all the pupils after the construction firm, Dawnus, went into Administration earlier this year. Plans are being developed to resume the work as soon as possible.
PICTURE: Pupils have welcomed the new Cwtch Room at their school
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