The wellbeing of pupils and staff

"It's OK to have an emotional reaction when talking about this emotive topic"

  • Schedule time with colleagues to prepare beforehand and debrief afterwards, discussing any concerns or issues.
  • Inform bereaved pupils of the content in advance and be flexible about how they attend.
  • Include additional adults within the room to offer support to pupils and staff.
  • Be aware that emotional reactions may occur, recognising this as a natural response to an emotive topic.
  • Create safe spaces for pupils (and adults) to step away if they need to.
  • Provide a safe and supportive environment where all pupils know who is available to talk to, or where they can go to access additional support.
  • Check in with any pupils affected by the conversations and plan a subsequent follow up with all pupils.
  • Review the discussions with colleagues, identify any vulnerable pupils or any issues which may need to be addressed.