Education Sector Wellbeing

Impact Wellbeing
Dandelion Impact Wellbeing for the Education Sector

An excerpt from PSHE Association newsletter June 2014:
“Parents want lessons on emotional health in schools but teachers need more support.  A recent survey by YouGov on behalf of the PSHE Association shows that 90% of parents believe that schools should teach children and young people about mental health and emotional wellbeing alongside traditional subjects like maths and science.  Yet we know that our members are highly concerned about their capacity to support pupil’s emotional health.  In this year’s annual survey, 76% responded asking for further support with young people’s mental health”

ALLOW ME TO GIVE YOU THAT SUPPORT!

Tracey of PlumEssence Therapies and Training, is passionate about being a fully qualified and insured holistic complementary therapist, instructor of the IMPACT Wellbeing Programme, Stress Management Consultant and a Belief Change Practitioner.  Tracey is often referred to as a wellness coach or wellbeing coach.

After successfully delivering ‘stress-free exam workshops’, talking with students, parents, teachers and pastoral care managers, it was suggested Tracey delivered a programme throughout a school’s academic year aiming to result in benefits to pupils of:

Understand, Reduce and Manage Stress and Anxiety.
Improved Self-Esteem.
Improved Confidence.
Improved Focus and Concentration.
Feeling Happier, Contented, Calmer and Brighter.
Improved Attendance and Behaviour.
Improved Aspiration.
Improved Exam Results.
Developing skills for life.
Developing friendships and Social Skills.
Reduction in Aggressive Behaviour and Bullying.
General improvement of physical, mental and emotional health.

The programme supports and links the PSHE curriculum, contributes to young adults Emotional Health and Wellbeing (Emotional wellbeing and Healthy Schools) and SEAL.

If the above benefits are achieved by the student, this can allow the student to improved access to a 16-19 Bursary Fund.  If the above benefits are achieved by both the school and the students, the school may be eligible to enter into the national pupil premium awards.

Now, wouldn’t that be great PR for you and your school?

With all of the above in mind, Tracey has complemented the IMPACT Wellbeing programme with some of her other skills and qualifications to produce an inclusive programme of simple, adaptable techniques with sessions to include:

Pupil own assessments of:
Lifestyle,
Exercise,
Nutrition,
Sleep,
Attitude and Awareness of Self and Others,

Meditation and Mindfulness and

Having an Understanding of what is Pressure, Stress and Anxiety.

The weekly sessions then suggest ways to improve or make basic and simple changes using techniques of:

Analysis & Acceptance of Emotions,
Hygiene,
Nutrition advice,
Sleep improvement,
Relaxation breathing and techniques of Mindfulness and Meditation,
Clothed Self-Massage and shared massage,
Stretching exercises,
Aromatherapy and
Personal Empowerment & Belief Changes.

 

It is considered that the programme is best delivered on a weekly basis for a whole term, or on a weekly or bi-weekly basis over the whole academic year.

This allows the techniques to be integrated and owned by the students.

It also enables the school to take a long term view of their own challenges of improving pupil behaviour, attendance and methods of learning that can be adapted in both school and home.  This could enable obtaining relevant funding and include the programme in their school development plan.

The weekly sessions can be a stand-alone session or incorporated into the lessons of your choice (for instance, aromatherapy into a chemistry lesson).

The programme is adapted and delivered after discussion with the group of pupils

It will be stressed at the beginning of the programme and during each session that every pupil has a choice and there will be no pressure to neither give or receive massages nor participate in any open discussions.

 

All the school needs to provide, each week, is a suitable room and the chairs and a safeguarding link within the school.

If it is school policy, we can issue awards throughout the course, using your rewards system or we can empower the pupils to choose their own reward system.

It is suggested the last session of each term is delivered as an extension to the school day.

It could be a session delivered straight after breakfast, for instance, where parents are encouraged to attend breakfast and enable them to be involved, watch and/or participate in the session, with a celebration and presentation of certificates thereafter.

Alternatively, the session could be delivered at the end of the day, with a supper celebration.

 

Each session is prepared to last approximately 2 hours, charged at a rate of £60 per hour, including all travel, set up time and materials.  There is a minimum commitment of 6 weeks.

If you refer Tracey to 2 other schools, who also implement the programme, a free session can be offered.  The more schools into which Tracey is referred, the greater reduction in costs to your school.

If the school obtains funding, they can be seen to be providing a well-targeted support programme to improve attendance, behaviour and links with families, if these are noted to be barriers to a pupil’s learning.

Parent sessions can also be implemented, including all or any of the above techniques for pupils, and to include bonding skills between parents and children.

There appears to be funding available which schools can access to set up a parents wellbeing workshop.

Tracey will provide feedback forms and assessments of pre-course expected outcomes with post course outcomes and sample wording for parents/carers and participants consents.

Before the programme commences, Tracey will need to be aware of any medical conditions of participants in order for them to be considered during the relaxation sessions.

Your next course of action:

For a complimentary discussion about how Tracey can deliver the benefits as stated above, please call as soon as possible, send a message using this form or book a session using this link.

Let’s get your school improving it’s results from September all the way through to July!

 l would love to know your thoughts and looks forward to hearing from you soon.  Use the contact form above or call Tracey on 07803 399594  / 01889 808388  or email  tracey@plumessencetherapies.co.uk

 

PlumEssence is based in Great Haywood, Stafford, ST18

 

Testimonials:

“Thank you once again for coming in to speak to our students on Tuesday. The feedback I have received has been very positive and the students felt they now have some practical strategies they can try out when they are preparing for their examinations”.  Carrie Cain, Head of Sixth Form, Friary School, Lichfield, April 2016

“Tracey was a lovely teacher. I found her very approachable.”  NPower employee, July 2015

“Tracey is very supportive and realistic- it became clear early on that her advice (do the homework/read the chapters) was spot on. It does take a lot of work and she makes sure you know that. Her method of teaching meant that it really did all come together at the end.”  MBNA employee, July 2015

“Tracey was great and I would have no problems recommending her to others”  MBNA employee, July 2015

“Testimonial for two excellent workshops ran at our school.  The girls were inspired and the messages of the speech were extremely memorable” Rebecca Mason-Cowley, Head of Sixth Form, St. Dominic’s School for Girls, January 2015

I just wanted to recommend Tracey Nixon.  She has given some excellent talks to my Sixth Form girls about coping with examinations and uncertainty.  Tracey is an engaging speaker and her role as a teacher of accountancy alongside her therapist career means she has an excellent balanced approach to her delivery to pupils.” Rebecca Mason-Cowley, Head of Sixth Form, St. Dominic’s School for Girls, November 2014

“It allows you to take your mind off a lot of things. I found it very relaxing” Year 11 student.

“It made me concentrate and made me rest, calm and made me work a bit harder in school and a bit at home” pupil comment

“It was relaxing, a time when you can forget about your worries and have a peaceful time.” Pupil comment

“Lovely, calming session” member of staff

“Enjoyed it very much and didn’t want it to end, was just what we needed over the last few months” Parent.

“Thank you for the inspiring course. … The fact that this can be used in any situation was important with one boy who was in great distress and the technique was used in the corridor” Year 10 learning manager