1. Staff and pupil experiences after one year of an attachment aware schools programme.
Research conducted by University of Sheffield DEdCPsy students:
Michelle Longden and Roxanne Njopa-Kaba
(Emily Allsopp, Ann-Marie Faughey and Helen Rowe)

2. Purpose
To evaluate the impact of the ‘Attachment Aware School Programme’ provided by The Virtual School
Research questions:
What are the experiences of staff in a school that has undergone attachment awareness training?
What are the experiences of children in a school that has undergone attachment awareness training?

3. Strategy What we did… Focus groups with students
Individual interviews with staff
Why…
To add further depth to the qualitative data already collected by The Virtual School

4. Outcomes What we found…
Children's experiences were positive, as was their view of the staff
Adults are more knowledgeable on attachment and are facilitating change in the school
The school has always been ‘nurturing’ - now it has a name, practice is developing further.

5. Outcomes: Children (Lons)
Emergent themes identified:
Importance of friendship and play
Positive emotions
Enjoy play in a variety of areas
Empathy (and strategies to help others)
Awareness of own feelings
Calmness
Awareness of boundaries
Positive relationships with a range of staff

6. Outcomes: Children 4 key themes identified: Positive Environment
Positive Relationships
Empathy and Emotional Literacy
Positive Feelings and Emotions

7. Outcomes: Children’s quotes
‘I’d take him to the nurture room…it’s quiet and there’s lots of teddies. Then he’d be happy.’
‘He’d like my friends…he’d cuddle them’
‘The teachers are the mums of the classes.’
‘I’d take him to the head teacher cos she keeps an eye on us.’
‘If he came here… he’d be happy…cos he has new children.’
‘If you’re worried ...you can go to the Magic Room... it will make you fell better.’

8. Outcomes: Adults (Lons)
Emergent themes identified:
Increased awareness of feelings
School as family
Increased understanding of behaviours
Language used by staff
Inclusion
Listening to child’s voice
Happy children
Positive change

9. Outcomes: Adults 4 key themes identified:
Listening to the Child’s Voice
A Strong Sense of Family & Community
Meeting of Holistic Needs
Journey of Change

10. Outcomes: Adults’ quotes
‘Listening to the child’s voice has been key’
‘It’s like one big family, everyone feels like they’ve got someone to go to’
‘If the child isn’t ready… we need to help them with the emotional side before we do anything”, (we) want children to feel valued and confident’
‘We all work very hard for the children because we care so much about them’
‘Attachment is just something we do. It was always part of us….Something we've done under different names and guises and have just named it now...Helped staff to understand ‘why’ they’re doing what they’re doing’

11. What this means…. Ethos of care and community apparent - not new
Nurture provision has enriched and empowered staff
Mutual respect between children and adults
Clear sense of belonging and empathy for peers
Where next…?