SHELL EDUCATION

“DETAILS CREATE THE BIG PICTURE” Sanford I. Weill

As the old year passes and a new begins, it is great to look back and see how the year unfolded with challenges and how the students dealt with them.

I would like to share the thoughts on how “communication is key” in everything we do when working with children. AEGIS always highlights the importance of regular safeguarding training with key messages such as the importance of reporting and recording concerns.

I had a student who unexpectedly was admitted to hospital and had to undergo a very serious operation. The student is fine, and recovered really well but the stress was incredible and it was hard for everyone around, and I cannot imagine what the parents were going through being miles away from UK and unable to arrive.

Could it be done differently?

Another student returned back in September to his school but felt very low, unhappy and struggled with his chosen A-level subjects. He reached out to school for help. Later the student stayed with the host family, who informed me about their concerns for the student which was very alarming. This turned out to be a health issue; his condition was rapidly deteriorating and he needed urgent help.

When you notice single episodes of unhappiness, headaches, blurred vision, low performance in lessons or forgetfulness, maybe they are not crucial factors alone or as single episode but when put together you can see a bigger picture. It is like putting pieces of a puzzle together.

Children very often do not talk about problems to their parents, or say they are unhappy as they do not wish to worry or disappoint them.

So it is vital that everyone around children can talk to each other and report changes in behaviour and wellbeing, or concerns that they have for a student.

Information from everyone around a student is crucial as this all helps to build a bigger picture of the wellbeing of the child, and only then can everyone help a student become healthy, happy, independent, and ultimately a thriving successful student in readiness for adulthood and their careers ahead.