Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH)

What are SEMH needs?

We all have mental health, and like physical health, it can fluctuate depending on our circumstances and experiences. The World Health Organization defines emotional and mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to their community.”

When we refer to children and young people having emotional and mental health needs, we are typically talking about those who may feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges, who may struggle to find joy in everyday experiences, or who find it difficult to reach their full potential in learning and development.

The SEN Code of Practice (2015) broadens this definition by including the word ‘social’, recognising that emotional and mental health is often closely linked with a young person's social experiences. These needs may be influenced by relationships within their family, peer group, and wider community. In some cases, children may also experience barriers that make social interaction itself difficult, further impacting their overall well-being.

How might SEMH needs arise?

SEMH needs can sometimes arise from unmet or complex neurodevelopmental needs, for example: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); Tourette’s syndrome; and Autism.

SEMH needs can sometimes arise from a child or young person’s experiences and how these have been responded to and supported by others. Some children may have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) which, depending on support systems and prevalence, can increase stress and stress responses. There are other experiences such as bereavement, loss, health needs and traumatic events which can impact on wellbeing and these can be ongoing for several years after a particular event. For many children their prior educational experiences have led to trauma as the environment or challenges of the mainstream school have negatively affected them.

What is the relationship between behaviour and SEMH?

When children and young people persistently behave in a challenging way this is often a way of communicating that something is wrong. It is a sign that they are dysregulated or in distress.

Some children and young people get stuck in patterns of challenging behaviour and struggle to develop strategies they can use to feel calmer. It can be difficult for a child or young person to change their coping strategies when the circumstances and needs behind their behaviours remain the same.

Children and young people need to have coping behaviours modelled and supported by empathetic and attuned or ‘emotionally available’ adults.

How do we support SEMH needs at the Ridge Academy?

At The Ridge Academy, we view every child as an individual with their own unique set of needs. Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties never stem from a single cause, and we are committed to interpreting each child’s behaviour as a form of communication—an insight into their unmet needs.

We adopt a relational approach that prioritises getting to know each pupil deeply—their strengths, interests, and the barriers they face. Relationships are at the heart of everything we do, and our success as a school is rooted in the strength of these connections.

All staff at The Ridge receive extensive training to understand and respond to the impact of trauma. This may arise from a pupil’s home environment, from previous school experiences where their needs were unmet, or from the overwhelming nature of sensory or social environments. Our training includes Trauma-Informed Practice, Emotion Coaching, Restorative Approaches, Sensory Processing Differences, Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN), Autism, ADHD, and a wide range of evidence-based strategies that enable us to create inclusive and responsive classrooms where pupils can thrive.

Social and emotional development is embedded across the school day and curriculum. Each term, we introduce a whole-school book that is shared in class and assemblies, led by the Principal. Weekly challenges are then set for pupils that explore key themes from the book, encouraging emotional growth and social connection. Examples include:

The Lion Inside by Rachel Bright – exploring self-esteem and confidence
We Are All Neighbors by Alexandra Penfold – celebrating diversity, belonging, and community
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers – fostering persistence, creativity, and problem-solving

Through a consistent, boundaried, and relational approach, we use play, curiosity, and positive relationships—our most powerful tool—to meet our pupils where they are. In doing so, we create a safe, nurturing space where they can succeed both emotionally and academically.

We use the following theories/practices to support our children:

Trauma-Informed Practice

Trauma-informed practice is an educational approach based on the understanding that exposure to trauma can significantly affect a person's neurological, biological, psychological, and social development.

This approach seeks to raise awareness of how trauma may negatively influence a child’s ability to feel safe, regulate emotions, and build trusting relationships—both within the school setting and in wider social contexts. It recognises that behaviours often stem from unmet needs or past experiences, rather than intentional defiance or disruption.

At its core, trauma-informed practice aims to create a safe, inclusive, and culturally sensitive school environment—one that children, families, and communities feel they can trust and where they feel valued. It emphasises the importance of consistency, compassion, and connection in building the foundations for learning and emotional development.

This approach equips school staff to work in genuine collaboration with children and their families, promoting shared decision-making and empowering individuals to take ownership of their health, wellbeing, and educational journey.

Rather than asking, “What is wrong with this person?”, trauma-informed practice invites us to ask, “What has happened to this person, and what do they need?”. It shifts the focus from behaviour management to understanding and support, enabling us to respond to pupils with empathy, patience, and skill.

Neurosequential Model

The Neurosequential Model is a developmentally-informed and biologically-respectful approach that helps educators understand how brain development and early life adversity impact a child’s behaviour, emotional regulation, and capacity to learn. Developed by Dr. Bruce Perry, the model highlights the critical importance of aligning educational and therapeutic interventions with the specific areas of the brain affected by trauma and developmental disruption.

In classroom settings, the Neurosequential Model provides a framework to better support children who have experienced developmental trauma. Central to this approach are the three R’s:

Regulate – helping the child achieve a state of physical and emotional regulation
Relate – building secure, trusting relationships
Reason – engaging in reflection, problem-solving, and learning

This sequence is vital. A dysregulated brain cannot engage in relationships or higher-order thinking. Learning, reasoning, and behaviour change are only possible once a child feels physically and emotionally safe.

At The Ridge Academy, we embed the principles of the Neurosequential Model in our daily practice. By prioritising regulation and connection before expectation, we create the conditions necessary for children to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Emotion Coaching

Emotion Coaching, defined by Gottman, 1997, is based on the principle that nurturing and emotionally supportive relationships provide optimal contexts for the promotion of children's outcomes and resilience.

Emotion Coaching uses moments of heightened emotion and resulting behaviour to guide and teach the child and young person about more effective responses. Through empathetic engagement, the child's emotional state is verbally acknowledged and validated, promoting a sense of security and feeling 'felt'. This activates changes in the child's neurological system and allows the child to calm down, physiologically and psychologically.

PACE approach, PACE stands for Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy.

PACE is a way of thinking, feeling, communicating and behaving that aims to make children feel safe. It is particularly effective in meeting the needs of children who have experienced trauma. Developed by clinical psychologist, Dan Hughes, the approach focuses on building trusting relationships, emotional connections, containment and a sense of security.

The principles offer a useful framework from which we can develop attunement and strengthen our relationships with the children and young people we work with.

Playfulness:

Light-hearted & reassuring manner
Open, calm & engaged attitude
Allows young person to relax and be less defensive and more reflective

Acceptance:

Unconditional acceptance of thoughts, feelings & struggles
Normalising emotions & providing affirmations

Curiosity:

Support development of Self-Awareness so young person can identify reasons behind their own actions

Empathy:

Show compassion
Being present in the moment to understand experiences as the child does

Restorative Approach

Restorative Approach is value–based and needs–led. Restorative Practice is a 'way of being' where the focus is on building strong, meaningful, trusting and respectful 'relationships', and repairing relationships when difficulties or harm arises. This leads to a cohesive community as the foundations on which good teaching and learning can flourish. In such a community young people are given a lot of responsibility for decision-making on issues that affect their lives, their learning and their experience of school. Restorative Approaches build upon the basic principles and values of humanistic psychology:

Genuine Relationships - honesty, openness, sincerity.
Respect for all individuals - valuing the person for who they are.
Empathic understanding – being able to understand another’s experience.
Individual Responsibility and shared accountability.
Self-actualisation - the human capacity for positive growth.
Repair and Reintegration. Optimistic perspectives on personal development - that people can learn and can change for the better.

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