Wellbeing at Larkhill

At Larkhill School, wellbeing is a strategic priority and is deliberately embedded within our inner curriculum. As a predominantly military community, we recognise the unique challenges faced by our pupils, including high mobility and frequent parental deployment. Our provision is designed to ensure that every child develops a strong sense of belonging, security and inclusion. Regardless of when children join us or how long they stay, we take a proactive and responsive approach to supporting pupils through change and separation, enabling them to feel safe, settled and ready to learn.

Our pastoral provision is highly structured, inclusive and responsive. Robust systems enable us to identify need early and provide timely, targeted support. Staff work collaboratively to deliver bespoke interventions that address individual barriers to learning. The Thrive Approach underpins practice across the school and is applied consistently, enabling pupils to develop strong emotional regulation, resilience and social interaction skills.

We have a well-coordinated graduated response to pastoral support, ensuring that provision is both adaptive and effective. This includes Thrive support, ELSA support (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant), family support and a strong inclusion team focused on pupils with SEND. This integrated approach ensures that pupils receive the right support at the right time, enabling them to engage positively in school and make strong progress from their starting points.

Our personal development curriculum is coherently sequenced through the Kind Mind curriculum, with each year group accessing progressive units that build knowledge of mental health, emotional wellbeing and healthy relationships. Regular ‘Mindful Moments’ are embedded across the school day, supporting pupils to regulate, reflect and develop readiness for learning. These consistent practices contribute to pupils’ independence, self-awareness and ability to manage their own behaviour effectively.

A strong culture of personal development is evident across the school. Each class works towards a shared Thrive target, while every pupil has an individual values target, rooted in our core school values. These are explicitly taught, consistently modelled and regularly revisited, ensuring that pupils understand how to be respectful, responsible and active members of the school community.

As a result of this carefully designed provision, pupils at Larkhill demonstrate high levels of emotional awareness, resilience and self-regulation. They feel safe, included and valued, and are well prepared to manage the challenges associated with their context. Pupils are ready to learn, able to form positive relationships and are well equipped for the next stage of their education.

Other ways we promote Health and Wellbeing in school include:

  • A positive school culture with caring and dedicated staff
  • A school ethos inspired by our 11 core values Respect, Honesty, Responsibility, Resilience, Peace, Aspiration, Courage, Kindness, Cooperation, Friendship and Self-Belief,
  • A Designated Senior Mental Health Lead, Mrs Jenkins
  • A Designated member of staff, Mrs Kidiavai (Family Support Worker) to liaise with families to provide the support available to help to meet the child’s needs or signpost them to somebody who may be able to help
  • Our Headteacher, Mrs Jenkins is the Wellbeing Lead for the staff
  • A wellbeing Hub in the heart of the school
  • Two specially-trained THRIVE practitioners who deliver 1:1 emotional literacy support
  • Two Specially trained ELSAs who deliver 1:1 and group support sessions and check ins
  • Whole school assembly themes to promote and support SEMH;
  • Circle time sessions in all year groups, especially in PSHE lessons
  • Marking World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week in school;
  • A comprehensive range of health and sporting activities across the curriculum and in after-school clubs
  • A behaviour policy that employs a restorative approach and a reward system that encourages children to embody our school values

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