Owlets - Emotional Wellbeing and Nurture Base
At Barnes Farm Primary School, we recognise that the social and emotional development of children is nurtured both at home and in school, and is integral to children’s success.
We pride ourselves on the social and emotional support that we are able to offer our children and their families.
Owlets is our Emotional Wellbeing Base at Barnes Farm Primary School. It is a provision to help children who may need help with their emotional growth, focusing on offering broad-based experiences in an environment that promotes security, routines, clear boundaries and carefully planned, repetitive learning opportunities.
Support can be given for a wide range of reasons, for example, helping children to adapt to the routines of school and thinking the ways that we learn, making friends and dealing with difficult times at home such as a bereavement or family breakdown.
The Owlets main aims:
- To nurture happy, positive and resilient children.
- To support the development of self-esteem.
- To use structured play and role play to teach social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, cooperating and appreciating the feelings of others.
- To develop language for communication.
How it works…
Parents/Carers and teachers who feel that a child will benefit from the Owlets support will meet with Mrs Robinson or Mrs Cato to discuss the child’s needs and which approach will be best for them.
They will then either attend Owlets sessions daily or weekly as part of a small group. Activities to support them will be carefully planned and their progress will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Depending on progress, children may attend for just a few weeks or if necessary, sessions can be planned as a longer term provision.
What types of learning will happen in Owlets?
Owlets will take place during the school day and we will avoid children missing the core subjects. Activities will be linked to the learning that happens in the classroom. Children will learn through holistic activities such as cooking, gardening and creative activities. The skills they learn will then be transferred back into the classroom.
Who are the staff?
Our Owlets are supported by Mrs Webb (Family Support and Wellbeing Mentor), Mrs Oakes (Social Skills lead LSA) and Mrs Holden (Speech and Language Lead LSA) and overseen by Mrs Robinson (AHT for Inclusion and SENCO).
How to get in contact?
If you feel your child would benefit from Owlets support, please contact Mrs Robinson, Mrs Cato or Mrs Webb via the school office.