Families
Meet Leila who leads on family support at The Place
Parent Workshops
Parent and carer workshops have been delivered during both daytime and evening sessions to promote inclusion and strengthen engagement across all families. These sessions have provided practical strategies and shared understanding around key themes, including Self-Esteem and Wellbeing – Building Safety and Understanding Ourselves, Boundaries and Values – Protecting What Matters Most, and Managing Stress – Finding Balance in Everyday Life. The workshops have created valuable opportunities for parents and carers to connect with one another, deepen their understanding of SEMH needs, and feel more confident in supporting their children’s wellbeing at home. This initiative aligns with the school’s strategic aim to foster strong partnerships with families and to embed wellbeing at the heart of our inclusive culture.
Workshop 1: Self-Esteem
Building Safety & Understanding Ourselves
• Tuesday 23 Sept 2025
• Tuesday 4 Nov 2025
• Tuesday 13 Jan 2026
Workshop 2: Boundaries & Values
Protecting What Matters Most
• Tuesday 30 Sept 2025
• Tuesday 11 Nov 2025
• Tuesday 20 Jan 2026
Workshop 3: Stress & Wellbeing
Finding Balance in Everyday Life
• Tuesday 14 Oct 2025
• Tuesday 25 Nov 2025
• Tuesday 3 Feb 2026
Parent Engagement
The school works proactively in partnership with parents and carers to ensure they feel informed, supported and fully included in their child’s educational journey. Parents are engaged through a range of structured and informal opportunities, including workshops, parents’ evenings, attendance panels, newsletters and community events. These forums provide regular opportunities to discuss pupil progress, attendance, wellbeing and next steps in a supportive and solution-focused manner, which is particularly effective in meeting the needs of families of pupils with SEMH.
Strong day-to-day communication is maintained through the SEESAW digital platform, which is used to share pupils’ achievements, progress and positive behaviours. Parents are encouraged to engage by commenting and celebrating successes alongside staff, and the platform also provides a responsive channel for parents to raise concerns or ask questions, ensuring issues are addressed promptly and collaboratively. SEESAW is also used to keep parents informed about enrichment activities, educational visits, curriculum developments and key school updates. In addition, the school is developing the use of SEESAW to share information for parents around post-16 pathways, including college links, apprenticeships, career options and personal development opportunities, supporting informed planning for pupils’ next steps.
Parents and carers are actively invited to attend and participate in school events, including sports activities, Christmas dinners, school fairs and wider community celebrations. These events help strengthen relationships, promote inclusion and enable parents to feel part of the wider school community. The school also encourages parental involvement in charitable activities, supporting pupils to develop empathy, social responsibility and community awareness.
For pupils who are unable to attend school, the school continues to work closely with families to maintain engagement and inclusion. Parents are supported through regular communication, involvement in decision-making and opportunities to engage with school activities wherever possible, ensuring that no family feels isolated. Overall, the school demonstrates a strong commitment to inclusive, consistent and meaningful parental engagement, recognising parents as vital partners in supporting pupils’ wellbeing, personal development and educational outcomes.
Family Support Workers
As part of our ongoing commitment to strengthening pastoral provision and supporting families with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, our Family Support Workers have recently been enrolled on a recognised counselling course. This training is intended to enhance their capacity to engage effectively with parents and pupils who may be experiencing heightened anxiety or emotional challenges. By developing counselling-informed approaches, staff will be better equipped to offer early intervention, reassurance, and practical strategies that promote positive mental health and wellbeing across the school community. This initiative reflects the school’s proactive approach to safeguarding and aligns with our strategic priority to build a compassionate, resilient, and inclusive learning environment for all pupils and their families.
The impact of this training will be monitored through regular supervision meetings, case review discussions, and feedback from parents and pupils accessing support. Next steps will include exploring opportunities for further staff training in trauma-informed practice and embedding reflective supervision structures to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of our pastoral support model.
