Our Way of Working

What is Our Way of Working?

Our Way of Working is about developing a common and consistent approach to working with families within our school and with all agencies across CWAC.  It has been researched and driven forward by the Children’s Trust and has a strong preventative approach at all levels across the continuum of need. It is based on shared language and shared understanding across all partners. Many of the families we work with can experience a broad range of difficulties that need support and interventions. We want to work with them in a new, integrated and targeted way.

CWAC vision, core values and principles

  • A ‘One Children’s Services’ approach to meeting need across our partnership

  • A strong preventative approach at all levels of need

  • Preventing children and young people becoming vulnerable and needs escalating

  • Ensuring lasting solutions within families to improve resilience, emotional health and wellbeing

  • Improving overall outcomes for children and families

What does this mean for children and families?

Children and families tell us that they want us to:

  • Listen and get to know them

  • See them as an individual, not just a number, patient or case

  • Do not ever judge or assume

  • Be reliable, transparent, honest, supportive and trustworthy

  • Take a whole family approach – not one size fits all.

Through working in a trauma informed way, using motivational interviewing, drawing on our shared language it would mean children and families are able to:

  • Tell their story once

  • Have a one page profile

  • Ensure the child/young person is the focus

  • Ensure that we respond in way that is motivational and innovative to meet their needs

  • Bring all services together to make decisions

  • Ensures clear communication and that we see the whole picture.

To find out more about the Children's Trust Partnership model for Our Way of Working click here.

How does Tattenhall Park Primary support our families?

Our Mission statement: Roots to grow; wings to fly.

Our vision: Every child fulfils their potential. This is socially, emotionally as well as academically.

Our Values: We respect, we enjoy, we believe. 

Our behaviour code is universally applied through school. The first line focuses on being safe: 

Safe and sensible

Honest and Kind

Always do your best

Respect others, property and self

Ensure everyone enjoys school

Our Environment

  • We are firmly focused on seeking solutions. We have developed systems within our setting to ensure that we are warm and welcoming both in the way we greet children, families and visitors and also in the environments we create.

  • There are safe spaces throughout school which children choose to go to if they are distressed. 

  • Teachers welcome the children as they enter school. Each class has their own entrance.

  • We do not publically shame pupils but instead take a child aside to provide support and understand what is happening to them. 1-1 chats are calm & timely which supports the child in moving forward and not dwelling.

  • Staff do not shout in school. Calm voices are used at all times, modelling the behaviour code to the children and to ensure we do not add further to their trauma.

Quality First Teaching

  • We support our pupils with visual timetables so that they can predict how the day will go. Some pupils need additional scaffolding of individual visual timetables and Now and Next boards to break it down into smaller steps when required.

  • We try to prepare pupils for changes within the day to support transistions. We have 3 “moving up” days to prepare for the next academic year. We let children with sensory needs know in advance of a fire drill to avoid unnecessary triggers.

  • Lessons are well planned and based on prior learning. Teachers recap on the last lesson to ensure that the lesson is based on a secure learning base. Working walls also evidence prior learning and is referred to in lessons both by the teacher and by children accessing it.

  • Subject specific vocabulary is taught explicitly and also recorded on the working walls.

  • Additional needs are planned for an supported. Feedback books identify individuals who need additional support and have not secured the learning objective. Additional support is provided through differentiated lessons and resources, vocabulary sheets, cooperative learning structures and adult support through intervention, 1-1 tutoring and pre-learning sessions.

  • We do not judge pupils who are struggling to cope with the learning environment and put in additional support to assist them: key adult, brain breaks and time out of the classroom, fiddle toys etc.

Behaviour Management

  • Negative behaviours are viewed as a form of communication. We use ABC to analyse behaviour to try to identify triggers. We recognise when children are finding it hard to communicate as a result of increased anxiety and find ways to support children in calming- breathing techniques, sensory support, finger tapping, repetitive activity such as counting or building or doing a jigsaw, minful colouring.

  • All staff have been trained in understanding the impacts of training. This is revisited annually.

  • Additional therapies: ELSA, Next Steps, Lego Therapy, Rest Easy, Sunshine cirles are available to support the most vulnerable pupils. We complete wellbeing audits to identify pupils who have increased anxiety and use this and information from parents to triage the most vulnerable pupils.

  • Boundaries and expectations are clearly communicated and are consistent throughout school.

  • The multi agency map is used to support children and families. TAFs are offered to provide cohesive support from agencies. We have attended training to identified additional opportunities for support for our families.

  • Relationships between staff and pupils is warm and nurturing. Children trust their adults, know who they can talk to and regularly share when they are worried.

Culture and Ethos

  • Staff understand trauma and attachment and can recognise and support it. We have been awarded Attachment Friendly School Award by CWAC Virtual School.

  • We are champions for all of our children. Vulnerable children who need a key adult have one which is identified by them.

  • We are a No Outsiders School and use age appropriate resources to promote exclusivity throughout the school so that no child feels excludd.

  • All adults model kind and empathetic behaviour. Our Mission statetment and school values is rooted in respect and supporting the whole school community on their journey. We celebrate achievements. Children see the good relationships between staff.

  • Everyone is valued for their unique talents and this is recognised in lessons. Staff are supportive of one another and offer mentoring and coaching to new members of staff or associate teachers.

  • Pupils voice is central to our safeguarding procedures. Children are encouraged to reflect on their learning and identify what they can do next.

  • Staff share their own vulnerabilities and wishes for the future with staff and children so that children know we all have aspirations and things we find difficult.

    Parents

  • School welcomes all parents and responds in a sensitive and caring way. Communication is responsive to need- we aim to contact parents on the same day to discuss concerns and seek resolution.

  • Vulnerable families are offered support via a TAF- a multi-agency approach. Where this is not consented to we still aim to draw in other agencies to provide the best support possible.

  • We seek to understand situations families experience and devise plans with the family and child at the centre. The actions are devised with the parents so they feel in charge of the journey. All solutions are individualised to the family.

  • We aim to conduct meetings free from jargon. We provide the Governing board with a list of educational terms and acronyms as part of their induction. Parents’ meetings are conducted free of explanation and celebrate the successes of the child as well as identifying the next steps and how parents can support their children on this journey. We work in partnership with parents.

  • When children start in EYFS, successful relationships with parents are forged with parents, through regular conversations at drop off and collection, stay and play and through shared updates via Tapestry of important observations about the childs steps of development. This is continued as the children move through school- staff are available at the end of the day for communication, focusing on the positives of the day, celebrating work. Staff handle communication sensitively, they have their doors open and invite parents in if they need to talk.

Multi Agency and Community

  • Child led conflict resolution

  • TAFs conducted through a trauma informed lens, families share history once to multiole agencies.

  • PEPS conducted through a trauma informed lens, training from virtual school on writing a trauma informed PEP.

  • Strong relationships with school health, educational psychology, police.