Wellbeing
Wellbeing is a core pillar of our College’s Ethos, Vision, and Mission, and is deeply woven throughout our entire curriculum offer.
At Craftworks, we believe that wellbeing is essential in enabling our students to fully engage with both their educational journey and social development. That’s why we approach Wellbeing not only as a dedicated curriculum area, but also as a fundamental element that underpins all of our support systems—particularly in relation to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Mental Health Needs (MHN).
Support Pathways
Our Curriculum Pathways set out how we implement the Waves Model of intervention to create an inclusive, equitable learning environment. These pathways reflect our commitment to ensuring that every student is able to participate fully in their educational journey. They highlight not only the ambition we hold for all learners, but also the tailored support available to help each individual thrive
Milestone
Moments
At our college, we believe in recognising and celebrating the achievements of our students as they reach milestone moments in their academic and personal journeys.
We understand the significance of hard work and determination in meeting targets and making strides towards progression. That's why we honour these accomplishments that reflect our core values: Generosity, Respect, Openness, Wellbeing, Trust, and Humanity. Whether it's academic excellence, personal growth, or contributions to the community, we take pride in acknowledging the efforts and dedication of our students. These rewards not only serve as a testament to their achievements but also inspire others to strive for excellence and embody our shared values.
Our Inclusivity
Promise
Our values and ethos underpin all aspects of college life. We promise to understand and work with each individual, viewing them as a whole person rather than their diagnosis and empowering them to make their own choices. We focus on the positive and create a culture of social inclusion, choice and shared respect whilst promoting responsibility. We support young people in setting goals for themselves and encourage families to be partners in this process. We are conscious that professionals should be ‘on tap’ and not ‘on top’, there to signpost support and opportunities to encourage self-learning.
Craftworks SEND Strategy
We believe every young person deserves the best outcomes in life. For young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), it is important to ensure we put in place an inclusive and supportive curriculum that enables students to access and gain the support they need to thrive. To recognising their learning needs early and have good rapport with parents, carers and external multi-agency to support young people's progression. We are committed to enabling, challenging and supporting our college to be inclusive so that best outcomes are achieved for all students. This is our SEND and Inclusion Strategy which sets out our vision, strategic priorities and key activities for our work.
Inclusive Environment Standards
We understand that to create a safe space so that students are able to feel and be valued, where they can make positive social connections, learn and thrive, it is vital to create a learning environment that considers:
- An inspiring physical environment
- The appropriate emotional environment
- The effective level of stimulus to motivate learning
Our Inclusive Environment Standard outline the expectations we have across the college and promise we make to our students to establish this environment for all.
Our Wellbeing Strategy
We believe every young person deserves the best outcomes in life. For young people with Mental Health Needs (MHN), it is important to ensure we put in place an inclusive and supportive curriculum that enables students to access and gain the support they need to thrive. Supporting MHN early and having an active early intervention and prevention process by have good rapport with parents, carers and external multi-agency to support young people's progression, lower risk factors and increase protective factors. We are committed to enabling, challenging and supporting our college to be inclusive so that the best outcomes are achieved for all students. This is our Wellbeing Strategy which sets out our vision, strategic priorities and key activities for our work.
Restorative Justice
At Craftworks College, a part of the BrogdaleCIC group, we are committed to supporting students with complex special educational and mental health needs and this can result in disruptive behaviours, poor emotional literacy and regulation and at times extreme challenging behaviour. Due to this we work within an ethos of Restorative Justice. The philosophy of Restorative Justice is a system of supporting justice which focuses on the rehabilitation and reconciliation.
Our Rewards Programme
One of the foundations for our Behaviour and Attitudes strategy is establishing clear and consistent college-wide expectations. We have identified key values we expect from our learners. These values underpin our company ‘Ethos’ and cover all aspects of college life. We have a college-wide Bonus system so that when students progress from Craftworks College they can carry these values with them throughout their lives so that they and others they interact with have “a safe space where they can be and feel valued, make social connection learn and thrive”.
Meet The Wellbeing Team
Our Wellbeing Team is made up of a collection of passionate staff members that are
dedicated to supporting inclusion for students, who consistently go above and beyond to ensure our most complex learners are given opportunities within the college and have far-reaching impacts throughout their life.
The team is highly qualified to deliver on our ambitious SEND and Wellbeing Strategy. The team brings together a diverse range of expertise, including Mental Health First Aiders, Designated Safeguarding Leads, a Master’s-level specialist in Communication Research, and a fully qualified counsellor. This breadth of knowledge ensures that we provide robust, informed support tailored to the individual needs of our students.
The Deputy Head of Emotional Health and Wellbeing is currently undertaking a Masters in Senior Leadership in Mental Health which is integral to strengthening our current Wellbeing offer. We believe in evidence based practise and are committed to developing and learning.
The Re-Engagement
Programme
At Craftworks College we have developed our “Re-engagement Programme” aimed at increasing college attainment and supporting young people with complex Special Educational or Mental Health Needs in “keeping in touch” with education.
In 2020, we saw that the pandemic had increased student anxiety and led to lower attainment. To address this, we developed an innovative project focused on student wellbeing. This became the Re-engagement programme, which was presented to the board of trustees and then put into action.
This successful programme allows students who would have become ‘not in education, employment or training’ (NEET) to gain self-belief, aspiration, and re-enter their education or be supported through a pathway to progress.
Students that are signposted to us by the local authority as NEET, young people and students whose attendance is under 55%, are automatically added to our programme. We work with the student and their families to support their mental health, create positive wellbeing and strategies to support them, promoting engagement with education and community.
Our impact
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Collaborative Partnerships
Students benefit from access to our specialist therapists throughout the year. We work with a team of highly trained specialists, including: Speech and Language Therapists; Occupational Therapists; Physiotherapists; Music Therapists; as well as Specialist Teachers who are experts in their fields to support our students access to education.
Students work with therapists on a timeline that suits their needs as outlined in their Education, Health and Care Plans and further observations take place throughout the year to identify any additional needs students may have as soon as possible. This means those without a therapy provision outlined on their EHCp are able to access support when identified. This process is consistently monitored throughout the year for impact and effectiveness by the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).
