Diversity Role Models is offering fully-funded digital staff training sessions aimed at embedding inclusion and anti-bullying in schools. Our experienced team has been delivering impactful and interactive workshops and training sessions for more than 10 years all across England and Wales.

Schools are invited to send 2-5 staff member each to the free-of-charge digital session. Attending our LGBTQ+ inclusion focussed sessions, school staff will feel confident to talk about sexual orientation and gender identity and tackle homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic incidents. Staff will have a more in depth understanding of bias and learn how to embed inclusion into the school and into their teaching.

Sign up form for digital Primary staff training on Tuesday 26^th March 2024 or digital Secondary staff training on Wednesday 27^th March 2024 using the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/qTPnSkm53p.  

Both sessions will be delivered as twilight sessions, 3.45pm – 5.30pm 

Schools in Mind have launched a new mental health lead resource hub on their Mentally Healthy Schools site.

In partnership with and funded by the Department for Education, they have collaborated with a range of education and mental health experts to produce this new hub for mental health leads and other education staff.

This hub is a comprehensive resource that signposts and showcases practical resources from trusted organisations and training providers - all under one roof.

It will enable mental health leads to continue to develop in their role, and embed an effective whole-school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Take a Look

For World Mental Health Day (10th October), Better Health have created two new mental wellbeing resources for pupils aged 5–11. Their What is wellbeing? assembly and Self-care resource can help young people understand the meaning of wellbeing and explore activities to help them feel good and boost their physical and mental health.

Accredited by the PSHE Association and the NHS, they include an immersive film featuring young people speaking about their thoughts on self-care, worksheets and scenario-based activities that can be delivered flexibly across the school timetable.

These are available to download for free on the School Zone website.

Food: A Fact of Life have added six new activity packs to the website.  Each pack is based on a food theme and combines learning about healthy eating, cooking or where food comes from, with early years curriculum areas such as numeracy, literacy and physical development.

The activity packs can be downloaded from the website .

The Daily Mile Foundation have released some new #BackToSchool resources to help you get a healthy start to the year. To support you with The Daily Mile as a health and wellbeing initiative for your children, The Daily Mile Foundation are excited to launch the brand-new Global Rugby Challenge resource. This challenge encourages children to travel round the global map by running, jogging, wheeling or walking The Daily Mile, whilst learning fun facts and answering rugby questions about countries along the way. The resources are free to all schools that are registered to The Daily Mile (which is also free).

Sign-up to The Daily Mile (for free) here.
You’ll get a welcome pack with instructions in the post, as well as stickers for your children.

With a rise in the number of children vaping, Better Health have created teaching resources aimed at helping Key Stage 3 children understand the impact that vaping has on their physical and mental wellbeing. The three curriculum linked resources feature:

• Information on nicotine, what vaping is and the impact it has
• Films co-created by young people
• Activities to prompt pupil discussion and reflection
• Content written and reviewed by teachers
• Guidance on teaching about vaping
• Flexibility of use as either short form time activities or a full lesson plan

Download Teaching Resources here .

Let's Talk about Anxiety is an animation and accompanying teacher toolkit from Schools in Mind.

Aimed at students aged 11 to 13, the resource will help young people to normalise, understand and manage anxious feelings.

As well as the animation, which was co-created with young people, the resources include:

• materials for delivering a lesson, including a PowerPoint, lesson plan and worksheets
• materials for delivering an assembly, including a PowerPoint and assembly plan
• guidance materials for teachers, PSHE co-ordinators and parents/carers.

To download the resources click here

A reminder about Alcohol Education Trust's range of evidence-based resources available now to download  or as hard copies free of charge. To order your resources, please email kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org .

The following resources are available free of charge:

• Talk About Alcohol Teacher Workbook Talk About Alcohol is based around 6 key lessons to be delivered in Years 8 and 9 by topic. The resource includes additional lesson plans, games and activities organised by topic and year group. With PowerPoints embedded into the teacher guidance, it can be downloaded via Download Teacher Workbook - Alcohol Education Trust For ease of planning and for referral a printed copy can be ordered from kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org
• ‘ Alcohol and You’ guide for young people including top tips and advice on staying safe around alcohol. alcohol_and_you.pdf (alcoholeducationtrust.org) Hard copies can be ordered by contacting kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org
• ‘Talking to Kids’ parent guide including helpful advice and information on topic including units, guidelines, the effects of alcohol and the law. ParentGuide.pdf (alcoholeducationtrust.org) We also host parent and carer talks both virtually and in school.
• Six fully planned lessons including accompanying PowerPoints. These lessons help ensure high-quality, effective alcohol education lessons with minimal planning requirements. Download via Download Lesson PLans | Alcohol Education Trust
• SEN Activity Box including laminated activity cards and the BAFTA-winning ‘Just a Few Drinks’ films. This is particularly suitable for those working with pupils SEN or more vulnerable young people.
• www.alcoholeducationtrust.org which offers a wealth of excellent resources organised by topic and year group.
• www.talkaboutalcohol.com is a pupil-facing online learning zone including fun and engaging activities and games such as an online nightclub. The site allows pupils to learn to make safe choices around alcohol in a very pupil-friendly way.
• Life Stuff (life-stuff.org) is an advice and information hub for 16+ and includes topics such as alcohol, drugs, mental health and finances.

  If you work with young people aged 16-25, we have a new set of resources looking at alcohol and cannabis. Please contact kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org for further information.

• Alcohol and cannabis resources If you work with young people aged 16-25, AET have a new set of resources looking at alcohol and cannabis. Please contact kate@alcoholeducationtrust.org for further information.

• Teacher/staff training sessions We highly recommend that to ensure that the activities, games and discussions used in Talk About Alcohol are fully understood and embraced by staff, training is organised for all relevant staff. Our highly trained staff demonstrate best practice use of our resources as well as the games and activities suitable for young people. Sessions can be tailored to suit your school and a Q and A session is also included. Evidence shows that PSHE education is best delivered by well trained staff who are trusted by pupils who know them well. ‘One off’ sessions delivered by visitors to school are enjoyed but do not lead to behaviour change as several lessons that build spirals of knowledge and understanding are key.

• Parent talks We can provide a talk to parents covering parental supply, parties, being good role models and setting boundaries, the law, what to do if things go wrong and how best to speak to young people to help them stay safe around alcohol.

April is Stress Awareness Month, so Education Support have put together some new resources.

Don't forget. Their free and confidential helpline, is there to support you and your staff every day of the year. You're never on your own.

Tel: 08000 562 561.

1. Stress Risk Assessments

A stress risk assessment can help to reduce the risk of stress to yourself and your colleagues, promote good mental health, and create a happy and healthy school environment.

To find out more and how to approach doing a stress risk assessment in your school click here.

2. Dealing with the Stress of Behaviour Management

Through his vast teaching experience, Athir Hassan, also known as The Behaviour Trainer, has developed various techniques to manage the stresses and anxieties related to managing student behaviour.  To find out more click here.

3. Stress Busting Tips

A fantastic panel of teachers and mental health experts share some excellent tips to help you gain control on your stress-levels.  Watch here.

4. Boost staff wellbeing with an Employee Assistance Programme

Hear from Mark and Sophie, who work with schools across the country, about the tangible benefits of Education Supports Employee Assistance Programme could bring your school. Watch here.

Please share this information with your families:

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.  If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. Money will be added to this card every 4 weeks.
You’ll get:

• £4.25 each week of your pregnancy from the 10th week
• £8.50 each week for children from birth to 1
• £4.25 each week for children between 1 and 4

You will also be entitled to FREE healthy start vitamins for yourself and children.

Who can apply?
In addition, you must be receiving any of the following:

• Child Tax Credit (only if your family’s annual income is £16,190 or less)
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Pension Credit (which includes the child addition)
• Universal Credit (only if your family’s take-home pay is £408 or less per month from employment)

You will also be eligible for Healthy Start if you’re under 18 and pregnant, even if you are not claiming any benefits.

How to Apply
You can apply online:  Please visit here .