Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL)

1. Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) Whole School Inset Press here for the staff development activities you will need for this presentation

2. Programme Session 1: Setting the scene • What is SEAL and what’s in it for our school? Session 2: Where are we now? • Building on our existing practice Session 3: Implementation • Developing our vision for the way forward

3. Aims • To have an understanding of the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) • To have considered the schools current position in relation to SEAL • To consider opportunities for the implementation of SEAL in our school

4. Definition of SEAL (Secondary Core Guidance) • Secondary SEAL is a comprehensive approach to promoting the social and emotional skills that underpin effective learning, positive behaviour and emotional health and well-being in schools. It is based on the notion that the skills will be most effectively learned through: • direct and focused learning opportunities (during tutor time and across the curriculum); • creating the climate and conditions for learning that implicitly promote the skills and allow these to be practised and consolidated; • using learning and teaching approaches that support students to learn new skills and consolidate those already learned.

5. Warm-up • Take your card with one of the 5 social and emotional aspects of learning. • Find a partner and talk to them in the manner of the aspect of learning. • When you both think you have identified their aspect record it and move on to someone new. • The aim is to guess each person’s aspect of learning.

6. Session 1:Setting the scene • What is SEAL and what’s in it for our school?

7. Why promote social and emotional learning? • Think of Year 7 students and those that have given you a cause for concern. • Individually, jot down on a piece of paper the attributes of these students that you are concerned about. • Get into pairs or threes and agree the ten most important behaviours of concern. Record these one on each sticky note.

8. Why promote social and emotional skills? Talk to a partner: • For each behaviour of concern identify the alternative opposite behaviour. • Write them on a sticky note. • Throw away the behaviours of concern.

9. SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF LEARNING • Self-awareness • Managing feelings • Empathy • Motivation • Social skills

10. Why SEAL? Cont. • Consider how the behaviours identified link with the five aspects of learning. • Now look at the learning outcomes.

11. Where are our Year 7 pupils now? Watch the video clip of the Year 6 lesson. • Consider the children’s level of skill. • Consider what the adults do to promote social and emotional skills that is not so effective.

12. Where are our Year 7 pupils now? (cont.) As a group reflect on a. If the children were more skilled than you expected b. If the children were less skilled than you expected c. What the adults did that you felt promoted social and emotional skills effectively d. What the adults did that you think was not effective

13. My social and emotional skills • Individually complete the inventory of skills. • You may wish to discuss this during coffee break.

14. Session 2: Where are we now? • Considering the difference between EHWB and SEAL. • Reflecting on what we are already doing to promote the Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning.

15. What is the difference between SEAL and EHWB? Emotional Health and Well-being is a state. Social and emotional skills are the skills people need to take a full and active part in life. They need these skills to ensure that they remain emotionally healthy. It is only possible to learn if we have a reasonable level of emotional health and well-being.

16. What are we already doing to promote social and emotional skills? • Consider the social and emotional aspect of learning that is written on your sheet of paper. • Record everything the school is currently doing to promote this aspect.

17. Where are we now? Complete the audit individually • Answer Yes or No to each question, • Then respond to the follow–up question: Very, Reasonably, Partially or Not at all. • Add any additional comments in the final column. You might like to indicate for example: • whether you think this is an important issue for your school or irrelevant to your needs; • whether you have any plans for change; • what is helping or hindering this in your school.

18. Where are we now? (cont.) As a group Look at what you marked Very or Reasonably. • How did you achieve this success? • What can you learn from this? • How might you celebrate it? Look at what you marked Poor or Not at all, identify: • Which of these matter to you? • How might you develop them? • What have you got to build on? • What is getting in the way and how might you shift it? Record issues arising on a flipchart

19. Session 3: Implementation • Meeting the outcomes for young people through SEAL • The whole-school approach • The school environment • Our vision

20. Every Child Matters • As a group consider each SEAL skill and place it under the ECM outcome you feel it best fits. • Record any debates you have to feedback to the whole group.

21. Whole-school approach • Read the case study individually. • In pairs or threes discuss the questions posed. • Identify one priority for action.

22. School climate • Complete the audit ‘School climate and SEAL’ individually. • As a group identify • 3 things the school does well • 3 areas for development. • Record these on a flipchart.

23. Our Vision • Read your case study. • Look at Resource 7: ECM outcomes • Consider as a school what interventions did you do/could you have done to change the outcomes for the child.

24. Our Vision (cont.) • Reflect on everything you have heard, seen and learnt today. • What should our vision be for all pupils and SEAL?

25. Next steps • What are your next steps?