Whole School Nurture Approach for Learning
(WSNAL) Programme

 

1. Leadership and Governance: School leaders and governing bodies should prioritise mental health and well-being, integrating them into the overall school ethos and policies The six nurture principles for learning support consistency of practice across whole school.

Self -Assessment guides schools to prioritise mental health and wellbeing and schools demonstrate this to gain the WSNAL Award.

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2. Whole-School Approach: Mental health and well-being initiatives should be embedded across all aspects of school life, including curriculum, teaching, and extracurricular activities.
The WSNAL Self-Assessment provides a structure to help identify gaps.
The WSNAL Reflective Sheets help schools to cascade theory into practice ensuring whole school embed this practice.

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3. Promoting Positive Mental Health: Schools should actively promote positive mental health by fostering resilience, self-esteem, and emotional literacy among students.
The Six Nurture Principles for Learning support the promotion of positive mental health. Self-esteem and Self-identity.
The Digital Developmental Portrait will identify and meet developmental needs and when embedded within practice the DDP supports a graduated approach to SEND and Emotional Health and Wellbeing.

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4. Identifying Need and Monitoring Well-Being: Regular assessments help identify students who may need additional support. Monitoring well-being ensures early intervention.
The DDP screening tool enables early identification of developmental needs aiding early identification.

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5. Staff Development: Training and support for staff enable them to recognise and respond effectively to mental health concerns among students.
The WSNAL Programme supplies PowerPoints, activity ideas and guidance ofcontent to cascade learning across the whole school.

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6. Working with Parents and Carers: Schools should engage parents and carers, providing information and involving them in mental health initiatives.
Schools have access to the DDP (Strategies to empower parents to work in parentship to meet their children’s developmental needs.

 

7. Targeted Support: Tailored interventions should address specific needs, such as counselling, mentoring, or group work.
The DDP supports targeted interventions within a graduated approach to SEND and Mental health and wellbeing.

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8. Effective Partnerships: Collaborating with external agencies, such as health services and community organizations, enhances the school’s ability to support students’ mental health.
The DDP provides framework to support this. For example, The Sensory Portrait helps schools to clearly identify specific sensory difficulties, suggests helpful strategies and where external support is still needed, schools can share the impact of the strategies used and share common language.