Janet is our Senior Mental Health Lead & ELSA Practitioner at Nova Primary School.
As Senior Mental Health Lead & ELSA Practitioner, Janet is able to support pupils by providing a diverse range of learning opportunities. Janet works with pupils, families, school staff and other professional agencies to help pupils to develop their potential by removing barriers to learning which may be in the school or in home.
Barriers to Learning
A barrier to learning is any factor that prevents a child from being in a suitable/emotional, physical or psychological state to engage in their lesson and learn.
Some examples of these barriers are:
- Low self esteem
- Lack of self confidence
- Friendship difficulties
- Lack of social skills
- Medical needs
- Absence from school
- Lateness to school
- Feeling vulnerable
- Bullying
- Family difficulties
- Bereavement
If a child experiences one factor or a combination of the above barriers to learning, then this may lead to low self esteem, disruptive behaviour or a negative attitude to learning which can result in the child not fulfilling their potential. A Learning Mentor helps the child to develop strategies and skills to enable them to make positive choices and learn.
Learning Mentors work with pupils on a one to one or group basis outside the classroom to address the barriers to learning.
Learning Mentors are also involved in running different activities which include:
• Liaising with parents/carers and other agencies to support pupil progress
• Mediation work between peers, pupils, staff and parents/carers
• Supporting pupils transferring from primary to secondary school
• Setting weekly achievable targets for individual children who may be underachieving due to confidence, friendship difficulties and inappropriate behaviour in and out of the classroom.
Attendance and Punctuality
Good attendance and punctuality are clearly linked to children making good progress in their learning. It ensures that children settle into school and experience the stability and security that they need in order to achieve their best.
Your child needs to be in school everyday during term time unless he/she is ill or attending a medical appointment.
A letter will be sent from Janet if there are concerns about your child’s attendance.
If you find you are having difficulty with your child’s attendance or punctuality then please come and speak to Janet and she can offer support where appropriate.
Janet aims to provide non-judgemental support for all children and their families. If you would like an informal chat or have any issues or concerns you would like to discuss, then please do not hesitate to contact her.