E.L.S.A. Emotional Literacy Support

Welcome to our E.L.S.A. page . Our aim with this page is to provide you with information as to how we can support children at school with a wide range of emotional needs .

What is E.L.S.A. ?

Emotional literacy support assistants are known as E.L.S.A.’s

An E.L.S.A. is a member of staff trained by Educational Psychologists to plan and deliver programmes of support to pupils who are experiencing temporary or longer term emotional difficulties .

It has been recognised that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are met.

How does E.L.S.A. work ?

Mrs Grippaudo and Miss Boakye are the E.L.S.A.’s here at Coombe Hill Junior school. Miss Alice is completing her ELSA training this year so will be working with pupils too.

Children are usually referred for E.L.S.A. support by members of staff or parents who refer the children to Mrs Metcalfe (SENCO) or Mrs Englefield (Inclusion Manager), who then identify and prioritise which children require a programme of support. The E.L.S.A team then plan support sessions to help facilitate the pupil to develop new skills and coping strategies. This will enable them to manage social and emotional demands more effectively.

We aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs including low self esteem, loss and bereavement, social skills, anger management and friendship skills.

Sessions will last from 30-40 minutes once a week and will usually occur on an individual basis, however sometimes small group work will be more appropriate especially in the area of friendship and social skills.

Sessions involve a range of activities including games, role play, and arts and crafts and take place in our E.L.S.A. room which provides a calm safe place for children to feel supported and nurtured.

Please remember that change cannot be achieved rapidly and is dependent upon the complexity and context of the presenting issue . We will however aim to provide an environment where pupils feel able to honestly express their thoughts and feelings.