Page 7 - Crestwood Park Primary School

Michelle Guest lives in Kingswinford with her daughter, Niamh, nine, in Year 6.
Children say:
Niamh says: “I can speak to the teachers about my worries and I know they will take them seriously.
I always feel like the teachers listen to me.”
Caring ethos
Through her employment in the education profession, when it came to choosing a school for her daughter, Michelle was already familiar and impressed with Crestwood Park Primary School.
“I’d been in the school professionally for some time and already knew the staf and the school’s caring ethos. It’s a small school which I thought would also beneit Niamh,” says Michelle.
As a working mum, the excellent facilities for out of school care was another positive reason which inluenced her choice.
Nurturing staf
Niamh can ind it diicult to cope with changes in her environment and so it took some time for her to feel settled in the school environment. Michelle believes the staf at Crestwood Park Primary School have been instrumental in easing the transition into school life. “I believe all of the staf - the Breakfast Club staf, her class teachers, the after school club staf - have all played an important role in ensuring she is happy at school,” says Michelle. “They’ve all shown genuine care and concern.”
Supportive strategies
Niamh found the uncertainty of the daily schedule at school diicult to adapt to, but Michelle has been really pleased with the support and strategies the school have put in place to ease her anxieties. “To prevent her worrying about what was coming next, the teachers adopted a visual timetable so that she could see her daily schedule.”
Michelle believes this was helpful in reassuring Niamh about the day ahead. “Being able to see what was planned for her gave her an element of predictability,” adds Michelle. “As she’s progressed through school, they’ve continued to use the visual
timetable but they’ve also incorporated other things like a ‘worry book’ and a ‘worry box’.”
Approachable staf
Once Niamh was able to write, Michelle found the ‘worry book’ and the ‘worry box’ were really helpful ways for Niamh to communicate her concerns with the teachers. “Whilst Niamh has used these methods to express how she’s feeling, staf have always been happy for me to approach them directly about any concerns; the door is always open for parents at Crestwood Park Primary School, which is reassuring for a parent.”
“I don’t think Niamh would be where she is now if it weren’t for the brilliant support the school has given to her; I’m incredibly grateful.”
Time to listen
As part of extended learning the school ofers some wonderful trips to pupils, but for Niamh the prospect of visiting a new environment can sometimes be daunting. “Any initial worries Niamh experiences
are met with genuine concern from teachers; they always have time to listen to her and talk through any worries.”
Best interests
Michelle adds: “Crestwood Park Primary School is a truly caring school, which has the best interests of each child at heart. We will really miss it!”
Michelle is appreciative to Crestwood Park Primary School for the pastoral care they have given her daughter
www.crestwood-p.dudley.sch.uk 7