Teach Primary Issue 19.6

conversing with the pupil. There are no tests they can sit to see if the ELSA has helped them, no data to measure as you might for curriculum subjects, but there are things you can do to help evaluate your work. • Pre- and post-session check lists – there are checklists available to fill out with the child to see how they feel about things before their sessions begin and after they conclude. See tinyurl.com/tp-ELSAplan for examples. • Visuals are useful to help a child identify how they feel without having to verbalise it. Things like blob tree posters and visual scales can be helpful here and can be revisited afterwards, too. E.g. tinyurl.com/ tp-ELSAvisual • Discussions – all evaluations and data you collect should be considered alongside discussions with staff around their observations of the pupil in school and parents at home. You can find an example ELSA record sheet at tinyurl. com/tp-ELSArecord Think about where you will store evaluations and feedback about ELSA sessions. Will they be stored in the child’s file? Will they be added to a system you already have that collects information about the children? Who can access the information? Practical room ideas: • Think about resources you can use that will enhance sessions and allow conversation during activities. Sand and kinetic sand are great to use, as is water (if you have a suitable space) and Lego. The resources need to be of interest to the child. • Think about where you can store resources that won’t be used by others or will at least be returned to the same place and will be there when you need them again. • If you need to change locations, you could have a moveable display board with your posters, session rules and other information on. That way, you can take them with you wherever you go, and it will provide an element of consistency and familiarity, even if you are in a different room each time. • Other things to consider in your space are lighting and soft furnishings. Do you have comfortable seats? Are the overhead lights harsh and distracting? Could you use lamps or open blinds to let in natural light? Do you want any soft toys, cushions or weighted blankets available? You might not feel you need these things, but there may be some children who would benefit from them. • An ELSA space should be warm and welcoming, and one way in which to achieve this is to create displays. They don’t need to be numerous or complex in nature, but thinking about cheerful and calm colours, mindfulness techniques, inspiring quotes and relaxing images may all help the overall experience (e.g. tinyurl. com/tp-OKposter ). One display to have on show each week is the ELSA- pupil confidentiality agreement ( tinyurl.com/ tp-ELSAconfidential ). This is drawn up between the ELSA and the child or young person at the start of the first session, and will set out the rules they agree upon for their sessions. For more information and resources, see tinyurl.com/tp-ELSA TP Penny Whelan is an assistant headteacher and SENCO in a primary school. F EATURE S WE L L BE I NG www.teachwire.net | 25