Playwork in a school setting

Improving wrap-around care and supporting positive behaviour interventions to reduce exclusions and refusals

One of our trainers, Diane, has been working with a school in Oughtibridge where she manages the wrap-around care before and after school and offers positive behaviour interventions 1:1 during the school day.

Diane is able to offer child-centered positive interventions 1:1 to support children to feel safe and regulated during the school day, enabling them to be ready for learning. She worked 1:1 with a year 6 pupil who has an EHCP to support his social, emotional, behavioural and mental health needs. Diane worked with the pupil in line with his EHCP, facilitating three 1.5-hour 1:1 sessions per week that were tailored to his interests. The aims were to build his skills and confidence around friendships and social skills as well as life skills like tying shoelaces, telling the time and learning left from right.

Diane says,

“Over the course of the interventions it was clear that the sessions had made a positive impact on his attitude to learning. He became more involved with his class learning and became more interactive in group work including class PE sessions, bikeability, class tradition days and a whole year residential. His attendance also improved.”

The school’s Headteacher says,

“Due to Diane’s interventions, P became more engaged in school life. He was able to reflect on his emotions and feelings and make reparation when he had made a mistake. He was no longer a flight risk and was able to tolerate demand to a greater degree. The strength of his and Diane’s relationship meant that we were able to discover that he was at risk of Child Criminal Exploitation and his social worker was able to put in place support for this. Diane’s intervention meant that P’s last term at primary school was a successful one.”

Solving schools’ wrap-around staff recruitment problem

MASKK are supporting schools to set up new wrap-around provision, in line with legislation. It has been noted across the schools being supported that it is difficult to recruit staff, due mostly to the awkward hours of these provisions. Sheffield Play Partnership aims to help solve this recruitment issue by advertising job opportunities on our Playwork jobs board and social media, helping link up schools to those who have completed training with us. Having trained Playworkers working in and leading wrap-around care in schools has shown to improve the quality of the services, with one head teacher feeding back that,

“I see the children outside and enjoying themselves in all weathers. Play is more imaginative and creative, with children collaborating together to build, pretend and imagine.”

Playworkers can also support positive behaviour initiatives in schools, which has not only shown success in helping children’s engagement, attendance and relationships, but also gives Playworkers additional hours making wrap-around jobs more substantial and potentially easier to recruit for.

Advocating for more Playwork roles in schools supports quality provision, child-centered approaches and improved employment opportunities.

If you want to find out more about our training opportunities or how we can support play and playwork in your school, get in touch with us at info@sheffieldplay.org.uk.