At Birchington CE Primary School, we believe that children can only learn when they feel safe, loved and cared for. We recognise that some children have extra emotional and social needs that must be developed and nurtured if they are to be successful human beings. These needs can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including behavioural difficulties, anxiousness, and being uncommunicative.
All classes across the school follow a structured PSHE curriculum to support this development.
We offer:
At Birchington, we have a dedicated team who meet weekly to discuss any child/family that may be struggling in school or at home and offer advice and support.
The School’s Welfare team includes:
Mrs Wilson, our Headteacher
Sarah Cooper, our Parent Support Advisor (PSA)
Ellie Chapman, our Child Support Worker (CSW)
Hello! I am Louise Wilson and I am very proud to be the Headteacher here at Birchington CE Primary School. Having been a teacher and Leader for over 20 years and with first hand experience of being a mum to two boys, I understand the importance of how a child's mental health impacts their every day lives and ultimately, their future life chances. I am passionate about giving every child in our school an opportunity to thrive and I also understand that often, we will also need to provide a support network for the whole family in order to be able to do this.
I am really proud of our wellbeing team and the support they provide to an ever growing number of children and families. We have excellent links to the local community and to other schools are are always looking for ways to increase our offer of support.
Hello my name is Sarah Cooper, I am the Parent Support Advisor here at Birchington.
My role is to offer guidance and support to parent and carers and families. This includes signposting them to local organisations and charities such as the food bank, those that provide financial advice and support or the local Family Hub. I am also able to make referrals for counselling, to the School Health team or Early Help to access support for the family to prevent problems from escalating..
I help to identify and address concerns that may be impacting a child's learning or wellbeing. I am able to facilitate communication between families and school.
My role is also to support the social and emotional well-being of the family whether that is friendships, grief, separation, parenting challenges, attendance and behaviour.
It is important that our families know who they can talk to should any problem arise. I truly understand that life can sometimes be hard. I am a great listener and always here to help.
My door is always open to offer support.
Hello! I am Ellie Chapman and I am the school's Child Support Worker.
You may find some of these resources below of use to you:
KOOTH - for children and young people