Hello, we are Miss Reeson and Mrs Willard and we are the school Emotional Literacy Support Assistants, also known as an ELSAs. ELSAs are trained and supported by Educational Psychologists and we attend regular top-up sessions to ensure that we can do the very best for the children we work with.

ELSA work aims to support the emotional development of children within school. As you can probably imagine, this is a very broad spectrum! Within our ELSA work we cover friendship issues and social skills, self-esteem, belonging, communication, recognition of and managing feelings and emotions, support through family changes and breakup, and behaviour and behaviour strategies. Sometimes our ELSA role is just being a listening ear for a child, and we run a drop-in session once a week for children to come and chat. An ELSA is also able to support children through grief or loss.

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If you feel that your child would benefit from attending ELSA sessions please complete this form and email it to Mrs Willard on kwillard@englishmartyrs.rutland.sch.uk.

If you have any general questions, please feel free to email or send a message on Class Dojo.

Spring Clean Your Mental Health!

We can use this time of seasonal transitions as an opportunity to make positive changes for our overall well-being.

How to spring clean your mental health:

  • Sweep away negative phrases with positive ones e.g. I’m doing my best
  • Be physical – Run around, ride your scooter, ride your bike, play in the garden.
  • Be creative!
  • Journalling – Write down your thoughts, worries, fears and feelings. Release them from your mind. Putting things on paper helps you to let go.
  • Practice mindfulness – Thinking about how to handle your thoughts and feelings.
  • Sweep away negative phrases with positive ones – Say things like I’m doing my best instead of I can’t do this!
  • Eat more healthily!

Useful links

The ELSA Support website has useful free downloads to use with your children.  For example, here’s one for you to try Tell Me About Your Worries from the Worry Monster.

The Place2Be website is a great site for parents and children and has lots of free downloadable wellbeing activities. Linking in to our theme of Spring Clean Your Mental Health, there are some weekly activities for you to try with your children, that incorporate mindfulness, physical activities, art and music.  Click here to explore further.

Be Happy Resources has activties split into different age groups, from toddlers to teens.