Sedgemoor Champions

'Thank you for yesterday's meeting – it was brilliant! The presentations were inspirational and I got loads out of it.' South Somerset Partnership School

Champions in Sedgemoor

King Alfred Primary – Tina Holt

Bridgwater College Academy - Helen Moore

Robert Black Science College – Karen Gibbs and Sue Sharman

Get Set Sedgemoor - Rachel Hurley

I am the parent of a young person with learning and physical disabilities. This has opened my eyes to what, if any, support is available. I decided to try to make a difference, as my experience was the later. I have since been a Learning Support Assistant in a mainstream junior school, supporting a range of children within the class. During that time I studied a BSc in Professional Practice (Children’s Services). For the last few years I have been a Family Support Worker, in Street, Glastonbury and how based in Highbridge. The service has changed from 0-5 to 0-19, and this presents a variety of casework. I also enjoy being a Governor at Penrose & Elmwood, this year I was voted Vice Chair, and I am also the SENCo link Govenror.

Leaving Care Sedgelmoor - Louise Ward

Bridgwater Childen’s Social Care Practice - Michele Powell

Looked After Children team Bridgewater - Kim Grabham

King Alfred School – Polly Matthews

St Mary’s Primary - Carol Gange-Harris and Kelly Henson

Kelly is a Year 2 teacher at St Mary's CEVC Primary School, responsible for RE. Carol is a Year 5 teacher responsible for PHSE. Together they are also taking the lead on SMSC.

In order to achieve our Health Improvement Award we are training to become Emotion Coaching Champions with the intention of cascading it to all staff at our school.

Churchfields – Rebecca Skews

I am Becky Skews a full time non-teaching SENCo at a large primary school in HIghbridge, Somerset. I am responsible for overseeing SEN provision at school and ensuring all children are receiving high quality teaching.

Eastover Primary – Sarah Fitzsimmons

I support children with special educational and additional needs to ensure children are able to access every aspect of the curriculum. I am responsible for ensuring provision is in place for children’s learning, medical, social, emotional and mental health needs.

Eastover School – Jo Larson

I am a teacher in a large urban primary school as well as a governor. I have been teaching for over 10 years and enjoy the challenges of the classroom and wish to develop my skills to support positive behaviour management across the school. I am interested in exploring ways I can support both the children and staff with emotion coaching.

Bridge School PRU – Emily Anderson

Carers Partnership Board Support – Debbie DeMornay

Currently I work for the Somerset Carers Partnership Board, which is an influencing body concerned with improving the lives of carers in Somerset. I liaise across a wide body of contacts at local and regional level to ensure effective connections and consultations. This work includes speaking with carers of all ages, who have a wide range of caring responsibilities.

Elmwood and Penrose Federation – Jo Leek

I am a parent & family support adviser (PFSA), link worker and mindfulness lead within the Elmwood and Penrose federation. The federation schools work with children and young people with a range of additional learning needs from ages 2-19 years, across 3 different sites in Bridgwater. I work with the children, young people, their families and school staff, providing a wide range of general and individual support and guidance. This may be class/school based and/or through visiting parents/carers within their home environment. Having completed the 8 week mindfulness course, I am now working towards the level 4 qualification in integrating mindfulness and compassion in professional practice, through Mindfulness UK (Taunton). This learning has helped me support students, staff, parents and families to incorporate mindfulness within their lives.

Bridgwater College – Janet Steward

I am currently working at Bridgwater College supporting students with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum in a range of courses across college from Level 1 through to degree. Before that I worked for Oldham Social Services department for many years in day centres and latterly in their training department.

My current role includes a great deal of helping students to understand both their own emotional responses and those of others and linking thoughts and emotions to behaviours and outcomes.

Bridgwater College - Laura Fraser

My name is Laura Fraser and I am the Health Promotions Coordinator at Bridgwater College. My role is to promote health and well-being information and education to our students. This includes giving talks on specific topics, running campaigns and offering a drop in service for students who need support. We are always looking for new and innovative ways to give our students the necessary skills to take control of their emotional and physical health and to build their resilience to the challenges that life inevitably throws at them. I am hopeful that Emotion Coaching will provide a useful tool to help them do this.

Bridgwater College - Rachel Robinson

I am an Autism Facilitator at Bridgwater College, I share the role with Janet Steward. We typically see students who need support with social inclusion and emotional well-being.

We work closely with the college transitions officer to identify those students who may need an individual, tailored transition from school to college. While at college AS students meet regularly with the AS Facilitator to problem solve and work through any issues impacting on the student’s well-being. Many students need support to manage anxiety levels and to develop strategies to access the wider world. We work alongside parents, college support staff and outside agencies to offer holistic, wrap around support for the student.

Bridgwater College - Louise Seymour, Rachel James, , Tamsin Sheldrake, Gemma O’Gorman

Healthy Lifestyle Project – Laura McKenna-Andrews

Field to Fork Project manager, Jane Kayley

St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary – Helen Taylor - Bridgwater

I am Helen Taylor and I am head teacher of a one form entry primary school in Bridgwater. I have a vision for all the children in my school to develop to their full potential and am actively looking for approaches to learning and behaviour that will support all children. Ultimately when the children leave our school I want them to be well rounded happy young people who are able to see their place in the world.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary – Mel Moyse

Hi my name is Mel Moyse and I am at present an early years’ teacher at St Joseph’s primary school Bridgwater. I have been teaching for 28 years and have taught across the primary age range. I have recently been appointed as lead for inclusion at St Joseph’s. I am hoping to develop my skills in emotion coaching in order to work with and support staff. I am really excited to be involved in this project, feel I have a lot to learn and am looking forward to sharing skills and networking with people from a variety of settings and services.