Be Safe! Be Seen! Be Heard!
This is the title of a poster we have created, which is displayed in every room of Thornbury Primary School and discussed at length with children every year. This is because one of the most important gifts we can give to children is their voice and the will to use it; the feeling of self-worth that says 'someone will listen; someone does want to know; someone will help.'
As a school with a specialism in Speech and Language, with a specialist integrated Language Support Centre (LSC) for children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) placed in our school by the city, we fly the flag for oracy. The children in the LSC are fully integrated across the mainstream school, but it is so important that we teach them strategies for self-support. These strategies benefit all our children, and the associated training and approaches mean that all the staff harness the power of the voice.
We know that children having the tools, strategies and school culture to use their voice will make all the difference to their lives, including in the area of wellbeing. How can you tell someone you are feeling scared or sad if you don’t have the words for it, or feel valued enough, or have the agency or sense of belonging to be able to find your voice to talk to someone?
Why Wellbeing, Mental Health And Pupil Voice Matter