Flourish – Holtspur School’s Nurture Space

Away from the classroom, aspects such as resilience, confidence, independence, developing social or emotional skills and how to keep mentally healthy are explored.  Personal development, behaviour and welfare of the Holtspur community are at the forefront of a whole-school approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing.

91% of parents feel that the school supports their child's physical and mental health (annual parent survey 2026).

Drop in: during break and lunchtime, children can drop in directly from the playground to chat, share news or worries. 

Sessions: Following informal referral from a parent, class teacher or outside agency, an afternoon session is timetabled as a one-off or ongoing. Daily morning check-ins take place for anxious attenders or those who benefit from support to transition from home to school.

Preparation: Coaching for significant events such as Year 6 residential away, moving to a different school, change in family circumstance, coping with aspects of school life which are tricky and much more.

‘SEND and mental health support has again been to a very high level. We always feel listened to, looked after and there is always someone to talk to who acts on our feedback. We couldn't ask for more.’ (annual parent survey 2026)

ELSA

There will always be children and young people in schools facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with learning. Some will require greater support to increase their emotional literacy than others. ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed.

In ELSA we aim to provide support for a wide range of emotional needs:

• Recognising emotions
• Self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Social skills
• Friendship skills
• Anger management
• Loss and bereavement

The majority of ELSA work is delivered on an individual basis, but sometimes small group work is more appropriate, especially in the areas of social and friendship skills. Sessions are fun, we use a range of activities such as: games, role-play with puppets or therapeutic activities such as mindfulness or arts and craft.  ELSA sessions take place in Flourish which provides a calm, safe space for the child to feel supported and nurtured.

Mindfulness

At Holtspur School, all children in KS2 are taught mindfulness through a classroom-based curriculum called Paws b. During the course they learn about many things, including:

• Specific areas of the brain and how these affect our ability to focus, make good choices, recognise when we need to steady ourselves when our body or mind is busy or out of balance.
• Ways that mindfulness can support them in many day-to-day activities, including concentration and memory, behavioural self- management, and in relationships with family and friends.
• Ways to respond rather than react – and therefore make better choices and take best care of themselves and others.

Should you be interested in reading further about the body of research evidence around mindfulness for both young people and school staff, you may find more information here: The Evidence - Mindfulness in Schools Project

MHST

We work closely with Buckinghamshire's Mental Health Support Team who offer therapeutic strategy-based support both individually and through group work. For children with anxiety or behavioural difficulties of primary school age, the team works directly with parents, providing strategies to support their child's mental health. 

Therapy Dog

Meet Elsa our therapy dog. Therapy dogs in schools provide significant emotional, social, and academic benefits by reducing anxiety, improving wellbeing, and boosting reading confidence. These animals help regulate behaviour, particularly for children with SEND, by fostering a calm, nurturing environment. We love reading to Elsa!

Lego Therapy

Lego-based therapy is a structured, play-based intervention designed to improve social communication, turn-taking, and collaborative skills. Participants work in teams, often acting as "engineers," "suppliers," or "builders" to complete Lego models, which fosters teamwork and problem-solving.

Quiet Lunch

Our Quiet Lunch provision offers a smaller, quieter space where pupils who find the busy dinner hall overwhelming can eat, regulate and practise social skills with familiar adults. It provides discreet pastoral and nutritional support, reduces lunchtime incidents and helps pupils return to afternoon lessons calmer, more focused and ready to learn.