Vision Statement
Our vision here in Anderson High School’s Social and Emotional Support Base (SEB) is simple: to ensuring that even the most vulnerable young people in our school community get the support they need to reach their potential. We are committed to working tirelessly to provide a safe, consistent and inclusive space that promotes resilience, self-belief and kindness to self and others.
Learning and support is child-led and highly personalised according to need. It is delivered by a core team of trained staff who are skilled in supporting young people Social, Emotional, Behavioural and Mental Health needs (SEBMH). Our ultimate aim is to support young people to stay regulated enough to learn and make positive choices around their lives. We aspire to help young people to develop a sense of agency – a belief that their actions can change how they feel and how others respond.
Provision is based around the 6 Principles of Nurture:
We support our young people to access as much mainstream educational provision as they can so that they can achieve and attain free from barriers. To achieve this, we meet the young person where they are in order to walk beside them as they develop the skills and resources that will allow them to lead healthy, happy, fulfilled lives – to become, ultimately, Successful Learners, Confident Individuals, Effective Contributors and Responsible Citizens of the future.
This philosophy sits within the wider national policy contexts of Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and Delivering Excellence and Equity. It is absolutely rooted in the national and local commitments to raising attainment, closing the attainment gap, improving employability skills and securing positive destinations for young people and arguably most crucially, to improving the health and wellbeing of Shetland’s young people. It also reflects the Shetland Islands Council and AHS commitment to promoting positive outcomes through supporting pupil, parent/carer and partner engagement.
Ultimately, our aim is to support “an upward spiral” of positive change and to help young people “redraw their inner maps and (discover) a sense of trust and confidence in the future” (Bessel Van der Kolk, M.D., ‘The Body Keeps the Score’).
How is a young person referred to SEB?
Young people access SEB through referral via their Pupil Support teacher or a Depute Head teacher.
However, the fact that a young person may be in need of support can be flagged up to Pupil Support by many routes: these include but are not limited to an expression of parental concern, members of teaching or support staff, partner agencies and primary school partners.
How much time will be allocated for the young person in SEB?
This depends entirely on the individual needs of the young person. Some young people come for one period a week, some young people have most of their time with SEB. We assess the young person’s need and do our best to meet it.
What if a young person does not want to attend SEB:
Provision in SEB is entirely young person led. If they do not wish to attend SEB they do not have to.
However, this is the AHS provision for young people needing additional support around SEBMH needs and if a young person needs this support but does not wish to attend SEB alternative options may need to be considered.
How does SEB support with transition?
As part of the AHS transition process, the Principal Teacher of the Social and Emotional Support base liaises directly with primary partners in order to identify young people who may need SEBMH support.
The focus is on early intervention. Where appropriate, allocated time in SEB is offered prior to the young person starting in AHS. Where this is not required, the PT of the SEB works closely with Pupil Support, class teachers, the other PTs of Support for Learning and the Senior Management Team to ensure when a young person is in need this is identified early and appropriate support strategies put in place.
Where can I find out more information about SEB?
In the first instance, please feel free to contact Mrs Harpe:
Mrs Marnie Harpé
Principal Teacher Support for Learning
Social and Emotional Support Base
Anderson High School
Email: marnieharpe@shetland.gov.uk
Phone: 01595 808008
