ELSA
Emotional Literacy Support:
Ms Bansal and Miss Wingfield are both qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistant’s (ELSA) at Old Sarum Primary School. They provide a planned support programme for pupils of all ages who are experiencing temporary or longer term additional emotional or social needs.
This may include:
Recognising emotions
Anger management
Self-esteem
Loss and bereavement
Social skills
Sadness, anxiety
Building resilience
Coping strategies
Bullying issues
Therapeutic stories
Miss Wingfield and Ms Bansal are also trained supporting children with ELSA counselling, PTSD, attachment and de-escalation.
Strategies are tailored for each individual child so they can use the skills they have learnt at school and in the home.
They plan their support under the regular clinical supervision of the School Educational Psychology services and Wiltshire Behaviour Support Team. Both ELSA’s have support from our local Educational Psychologist whenever needed for extra advice. When new research is released the ELSA is informed and trained to use the best methods.
Old Sarum Primary School highly values the work of our ELSA’s because of the positive impact this support has on improving children’s wellbeing and readiness to learn. We are proud to host network meetings and training for our Emotional Literacy Support in the Salisbury area.
Pastoral and Wellbeing Manager.
Ms Bansal is also our Pastoral and Wellbeing Manager who can offer added support to our children through extra training in:
Mental Health First Aid
Trauma and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Anxiety and depression in children
Five to Thrive
BESD – Behaviour, emotional and social difficulties
Toxic Stress and Community Resilience
CBT – Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Adverse childhood experiences and early trauma
Starter strategies for supporting Selective Mutism
EBSA – Emotional based school avoidance
This also enables Ms Bansal to offer staff support in their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Mrs Katy Butler our SENDCO is also Mental Health First Aid trained, Mrs Katy Butler is our other member of staff who is trained in Five to Thrive.