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This is a genuine case study as to how a school based social emotional learning programme is helping children improve their emotional health and mental wellbeing.

Studies have found the learning programme “Zippy and Apple’s Friends” improves children’s emotional literacy, the classroom environment and coping and social skills.

Here’s how the programme is successfully working at an Oldham Primary School with the support of Oldham’s Whole School and College Approach to Emotional Health and Mental Wellbeing and local mental wellbeing advisors.

When the schools carried out a self-assessment in June 2018, they identified that the area of the curriculum that needed work was the universal offer. Being a school in a deprived area it opened an opportunity for all its pupils, including those with SEND, to experience the Zippy and Apple Programme with regards to coping strategies in their life, school and home.

It’s allowing all the children to come together to talk about real life experiences and things that are important to them. Teachers often lead at the beginning but then children take control. It helps with their emotional literacy and how they listen to each other.

The school reports that vocabulary among pupils has widened in a short space of time, as well as friendship groups.

Some of the children have told staff that they get a lot out of the programme, including friendship, communication, kindness and learning how to support each other.

St Thomas' Primary School from Oldham Council on Vimeo.