At Salmons Brook School, we place strong emphasis on supporting students’ emotional wellbeing and mental health alongside their academic development. As part of our therapeutic and relational approach, we offer a dedicated ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) programme, delivered in close alignment with our learning mentoring provision.
The ELSA programme is led by our trained Learning Mentor, who has received specialist training from educational psychologists to deliver structured emotional support to students across Key Stages 3 and 4.
The programme focuses on helping students develop key emotional and social skills in areas such as:
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Understanding and managing emotions
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Building self-esteem and resilience
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Developing friendships and social interaction skills
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Coping with loss, change, and trauma
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Managing anger and anxiety
ELSA sessions are typically delivered in a 1:1 or small group format, and are carefully planned around individual needs, EHCP targets, and referrals from staff or external professionals. The intervention is time-limited and goal-focused, with regular reviews to assess progress and next steps.
In addition to ELSA, our Learning Mentor offers ongoing mentoring support for identified students, providing them with a trusted adult who helps them to reflect, set goals, develop coping strategies, and navigate daily challenges in and out of the classroom.
Together, ELSA and learning mentoring form a vital part of our whole-school approach to emotional literacy, contributing to improved emotional regulation, reduced behaviour incidents, and stronger engagement with learning.