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All parents in ... Primary School can make contact through the schools, the school use many different forms of communication.

Through good partnership ... Primary School can help all children in its care to thrive and reach their highest potentials.

The ways the school keeps in contact and shares information with parents is through, regular parent teacher meetings, regularly reviewed education plans, resource links are sent out to parents through the schools messaging app and also there are updates for parents on the statementing process shared by Special Educational Needs Co-Ordinator when available.

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For staff of ... Primary School.

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Our staff are well trained in when it comes to the procedure of reporting notes of concern. Management staff go for regular training on the best way to support children. The Department of Education of Northern Ireland requires all those working in education to co-operate fully with Social Services and other agencies to protect children.

All adults at ... Primary School if it is teaching staff, support staff and volunteers accept they have primary responsibility for the care, welfare and safety of all the children in the setting.

Partnership between home and school is important but where issues arise of suspected child abuse our first responsibility is to the child.

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Our school prides itself on the earliest possible intervention to address the children's needs.

Positive behaviour support-

Rewards, praise, incentives, Home/School Diary, building self-esteem and self-worth, having fun whilst learning, being a team player, catch me being good!

Dyslexic friendly classes-

Use of coloured paper, use of reading rulers, colour coding classwork, b/d/p prompt cards, Accelerated Reading programme

Maths support-

Use of Numicon, Breakaway Maths/ Rapid Maths/ problem solving and Izak 9

Autism-

Two day toolkit staff training, child friendly strategies, ASD friendly classrooms, 'Safe spaces' used for nurturing and individual work stations.

Speech and Language-

Welcome toolkit, early intervention, liaison with Speech and Language Therapists.

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As a school community we value the diverse languages and cultures of families within the school. We currently have a few children where English is not their first language, we aim to make sure that all families have access to any information on their child's progress in the school.

The schools is open for improving and encourages advice on feedback to make continuous improvements within the school community.

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The Education Authority offer the school guidance on how to make any newcomer's welcome and to embrace their culture. In the setting this is promoted through communication, an example of this is the notes sent home with a child are translated into the child's primary language. Also, through the content displayed through classes containing the different cultures within the to consolidate that the child's culture is welcomed in the setting and they are a valued member of the school community.

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IES (Newcomer Support) offers advice and support for teachers who are working with newcomer pupils from preschool to post primary level.

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... Primary School is an inclusive and engaging environment, situated in County Tyrone, where children from different cultures attend to enjoy and take part in an array of activities and opportunities. Within the setting we promote learning through play, outdoor learning, Forest Schools, Accelerated Reading, mathematic challenges and so much more. Staff are friendly and caring, they strive to help each child reach their full potential, while also making the child feel respected, accepted, valued and protected.

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Registration for children in Year 1 and Year 2 can be registered for clubs until 3 or 4 o'clock and children in Year 3 to Year 7 can be registered for clubs until 4 o'clock.

Breakfast club/Early drop off, runs every morning from 8.30am to 9.00am, £1.20 is the cost of the club and must be registered for. Also cross country running takes place on a Tuesday and Thursday (which allows children to take part in running events throughout the school year).

There are also many after school clubs in the setting, for Primary 1 and Primary 2 they can attend an afterschool from 2.00pm to 3.00pm. Then Primary 1 to Primary 7 can attend a 3.00pm to 4.00pm after school session. The clubs in the school range from ICT to Baking, Sports to Photography and can help children attending develop new skills outside on the classroom environment. The fee for the clubs are £3.75 (subject to change due to resources required).

We try to regularly change the menu of activities on offer.

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Through the school we offer translation services for children with English as an additional language, we also offer meetings with a translator for parents, to update on their child’s progress.

Apps we use for translation are through EA services, this allows children to highlight phrases which can be read aloud in English and translate to another language to help grasp meaning and understanding.

Another app the school uses is google translate, in which we translate letters that go home to parents. The letter is written in their primary language and then in English below.

The Common European Framework of References for languages (CEFR) assessments that are recognised by the European framework are used to assess the stage of development your child is at.

As a school we recognise the different culture among the community, we accommodate any adjustments that are needed in term of events for individual culture, an example of this is in Ramadan we provided prayer spaces, alternative breaks and encouraging hydration.

If children are struggling to identify and communicate essential and common needs, the whole school uses a picture system within the classes. This allows children to effectively communicate and allows interactions.

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Other than after school sports we aim to keep fit and active within school, some classes partake in the Daily Mile, Soccer, Tennis, Gaelic, Netball, Cross Country, Hand Ball, Hurling etc.

Also in terms of staying healthy, the setting has a healthy eating policy. The school promotes healthy eating through breaktime and lunchtime, also with meals provided in the canteen for children who pay or avail from free school meals get a healthily prepared meal and a choice of water or milk for a drink. The canteen also follows the lunch bunch menu for further insight. (Dinners cost £2.60)

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Logistical information on ... Primary School

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Logistical information on ... Primary School

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In total there are currently 328 children in attendance, within the age range of 3 to 12 years of age. There are over 20 children with a statement for additional needs throughout the school. Class size is averaged at 25/26 children, with the lowest number of children in a class being 19 and the highest 31. Within each class, there is at least 1 special needs classroom assistant per room and 1 general assistant in each of the foundation stage classrooms and nursery unit.

For further information parents can get in contact through the school office, if they are looking general information, or if parents would like to arrange a meeting with Principal/Vice Principal/ Special Educational Need Co-Ordinator or Class Teacher they can do so through the office. Email is another choice of contact.

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Looking support for children with additional needs?

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Looking support for children with additional needs?

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In the setting there are many resources to support your child with their development, education and care. As a primary school setting we work closely with external professionals to help every child reach their full potential. If your child requires support with their:

-Social, emotional and behavioural

-Speech, language and communication

-Sensory processing, fine motor and visual perceptual

-Gross motor

The organisation the school works alongside with is RISE NI they offer support within the areas of a child's development. They offer in the Foundation stage and Key Stage 1 (Primary 1-4) 1-1 support, teacher and parent training workshops and small groups.

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We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We’d also like to set optional performance and functional cookies. We won’t set these optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

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Advertised on the school website are different events, that allow parents to get to know each other and to get familiarised with the staff that work with their children. An example of this is our Annual Quiz Fundraiser with details of the evening, £5 admission and raffle tickets available for purchase. Along with other events and productions happening within the setting. (These events are generally for school fundraising, to help keep resources up to date.)

Another event is our annual P7 show, tickets can be purchased through the ... Primary School office £7.50 for an adult and £5.00 for a child, all donations go towards school funds for additional resources.

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At the start of every year each parent signed in on the school app, NI Schools, will get a list of the school holidays. For whatever reason that parents can not access the app, a paper copy will be sent on request home with the child in their school bag.

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In the school car park there is a clothing bin available for the community to drop off items of clothing (subject to guidelines, which can be viewed through the attached link)

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SVP clothing banks are located throughout Ireland. Here you can find a full list of all our Vincent’s Clothing Banks.

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This platform is designed to support all parents in family life and also offer advice on parenting or other family life advice.

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Parenting Focus | Parenting Support UK & Ireland

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Parenting Focus has a range of parenting programmes available to meet the diverse needs of parents. All programmes and workshops have a proven track record with parents reporting enhanced confidence and improved parenting ability upon completion. Supporting resources are provided which further develop learning and understanding.

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This document informs families about the multi-agency support that families can avail of. Some of the agencies that can support wellbeing for your child or yourself are:

-Action for Children,

-Brain Injury Matters,

-Breakthru,

-CAMHS,

-CFSP,

-Education Psychology Service,

-Home-Start,

-Mindwise,

-NICCY,

-Parenting NI,

-PSNI Youth Diversion Scheme,

-RISE NI,

-Riverside Family Centre.

The attached PDF has contact information under each area of support, this allows parents to access support in the local area.

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In ... Primary School these are a set of guidelines we adhere to. We ensure that all children who join our school access the curriculum. Support is given when appropriate, if this is a translator or different resources, the school has access through the Education Authority Resources and other related agencies.

On arrival in the school a Welcome Pack for parents is given to the family in their home language and gives general advice. This advice can be on the local area of the school and local support services in the area.

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Online Directory of Local Support Services for families.

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Online Directory of Local Support Services for families.

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This link allows parents to discover what support that they are entitled to, the link is based in Northern Ireland and is designed to support families with a range of services. It also provides a support network including community programs and support groups.

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Family Support

Find local services and information to support you and your family

Childcare
Find registered childcare in N Ireland and useful information including financial support

Site safe

All organisations on this website have declared to the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) that they have clear policy and procedures for safeguarding children.

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FamilySupportNI - Family support and childcare services across Northern Ireland

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The most comprehensive public directory of registered childcare and family support services in Northern Ireland.

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The school strives to maintain close contact with parents. We enable parents to participate in the education of their children by:

-Making available information about teaching and learning through verbal and written communication.

-Hosting school events at a whole school, Key Stage or Year Group level.

- Providing an Induction Programme for parents of new pupils.

-Holding face to face meetings with parents where necessary.

-Reporting to parents on their child's progress in November and June.

The school operates an 'open door' policy. We welcome parents and strive to work closely through good communication.

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Guidance for parents/carers through the Education Authority

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Guidance for parents/carers through the Education Authority

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The Education Authority have a team of professionals, which are dedicated to help each child to be the best they can be.

Through out this website there are different tabs for different areas of additional needs for example, Autism, Down Syndrome, Behaviour Support, Language and Communication, Literacy, Medical, SEN Early Years Intervention Service among other services.

... Primary School works closely with the specialists through regular communication via email and meetings. Specialists sign into the school and are introduced to children before one to one sessions. Any progress or observations made in these sessions are communicated to the teacher and parent via phone call, email or face to face.

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Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) | SEND Plan

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EA works with schools and educational settings to help to reduce the barriers to learning that children and young people with special educational needs may experience.

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As a parent there can be many questions of, What do I do? What is next? This Podcast may be of benefit for you. Professionals keep many parents informed and give reassurance that parents are not alone. Also tips and facts are shared to help parents through their journey with their child.

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Podcast · Claire Quigley Ward · All Aboard ADHD is the podcast that helps parents and caregivers navigate the ADHD journey. Whether you’re right at the beginning asking, “What now?” or further along the path wondering, “What next?” - All Aboard ADHD is here for you. Each episode brings expert insights, inspiring special guest stories, and real-life experiences from parents whose children have ADHD - helping you feel informed, empowered, and less alone. If you’re supporting a child with ADHD, have ADHD yourself, or simply want to understand more about the incredible ADHD brain, join us on this journey of discovery.

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Within the school staff are trained to be able to identify signs if a child or young person is affected by their mental health or a traumatic experience, there is also a list of signs in this website, also staff are trained on how to report and record any signs displayed by the child.

As a school we support all children who may be experiencing a difficult time and make them aware that they are in a safe environment. As a school we like to keep parents and guardians up to date on how their child is doing, or if they are worried or exhibiting signs that they are going through a difficult time, to report back to the parent or guardian of the child to relay concern, only when appropriate.

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All children and young people have difficult experiences sometimes. When this happens, they might feel more stressed or upset. But with a bit of support from those around them, they will usually feel better. However, when a child or young person experiences trauma, it can feel too big for their normal coping strategies.

If you're worried that your child or young person is struggling with trauma, remember that you can play an incredibly important role in helping them. By providing emotional support and a loving, safe relationship, you can help them to heal with time. You can also make sure they get the right professional support if they need it.

On this page, we've got information and advice to help you feel confident about supporting them.

A traumatic experience usually involves a threat to our sense of physical or emotional safety. We may also feel trapped, powerless or unsupported in the face of this threat.

Trauma describes both one-off events and things that happen over months or years - for example, within a young person's family or friend relationships. It can be something a young person experiences directly, or they might witness something happening to someone else.

These are some examples of things that a child or young person could find traumatic:

a violent event, such as an assault, car accident or natural disaster

experiencing racism, homophobia, transphobia or other forms of discrimination

experiencing domestic violence or abuse

being bullied

losing a family member or friend to suicide, or a sudden death in the family

going through a serious physical illness or time in hospital

being exposed to frightening or inappropriate online content

Ultimately, whether something is traumatic depends on how it makes an individual feel. There is no exact definition of the type of events that are traumatic. Our experiences of what happens to us can be affected by things like our life history, our perception of why it's happened, and the support available to us afterwards.

Trauma is not a mental health condition. But experiencing trauma can have long-term effects on someone's mental health. A wide range of mental health issues can be linked to trauma. This includes PTSD, anxiety, depression, OCD, eating disorders and self-harm.

Signs a child or young person is affected by trauma

Every child or young person's response to trauma will be different. They may show they're struggling straightaway. Or difficult feelings, thoughts and behaviours may emerge over time. Their reaction and how they cope might also change over time. For example, there may be times when things feel intensely difficult, and then they might feel better for a while.

This means it can be difficult to see the link between a previous traumatic experience and your child or young person's current behaviour. Sometimes they may not be aware of the link themselves.

In general, these are some of the things your child or young person may experience if they are struggling with trauma:

having thoughts or flashback images about the event or experience

finding it more difficult to manage their emotions, which can feel overwhelming

acting out or having angry outbursts

withdrawing from friends, family, school or activities they usually enjoy

avoiding thinking about, talking about, or being in situations which are related to the experience

seeming very sensitive or alert to what's happening around them

seeming zoned-out or disconnected from what's going on around them

finding it difficult to concentrate

not being able to sleep or having nightmares

turning to coping mechanisms such as self-harm, or using drugs or alcohol

blaming themselves, feeling guilty or struggling with their self-esteem

Some children and young people who go through trauma, experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If this is the case, they may experience some of the symptoms listed above intensely. They may also start to negatively affect their day-to-day life.

Some people experiencing these symptoms are diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). This diagnosis is often given when the traumatic experience has happened repeatedly over an extended period of time. This might include childhood trauma such as abuse or neglect.

If you are worried that your child or young person is experiencing PTSD or CPTSD, speak to a GP about getting an assessment and professional help. They will usually need professional support to feel better. You can find out more about getting help from GPs in our guide for parents and carers.

Supporting your child or young person to cope

It is normal for a child or young person to feel or behave differently after a traumatic experience. Remember that healing from trauma is a process.

It's important to give them time to adjust to what's happened, and not to expect things to get better straightaway. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on how they're doing, gently check-in with them and seek further help if it's needed.

Below, we've got some suggestions for things you can do as their parent or carer to make them feel safe and supported.

Helping them to make sense of what's happened and how they're feeling can make a difference. When they want to open up, let them speak as often and for as long as they need to. You can find advice to help you start a conversation with your child in our guide for parents and carers.

Reflect back the words they use to show that you get their experience. Don't be afraid of using words such as 'terrified', 'horrified', or 'furious' to show you understand how big their feelings are. You might also say 'it's really understandable that you're feeling...' to let them know that their feelings are okay.

You can find more advice about making your child or young person feel understood in our blog.

This can give them a break and help them to feel safe and relaxed, even if just for a little while. It might be:

drawing or colouring

making something like lego

playing sport

cooking or baking

watching a favourite film

Knowing what works, and trusting that they can help themselves, will build their belief in their ability to cope. This can make their feelings less overwhelming. Strategies could include:

running

drawing

listening to music

writing in a journal

talking to family or friends

watching a favourite film

reading a favourite book

They might want to make a self-soothe box. They can fill this with the things that help and use the box when they're struggling.

Young people tell us they want adults supporting them to:

know that everyone's experience is different, and it doesn't define who I am

recognise all of my needs and see me as a whole person

understand my behaviour - when I'm shouting, crying, hiding, stealing, hitting out at myself or others, I'm just trying to make sense of everything I've gone through

find a way to communicate that works for me

include me in decisions about my life - ask me what I want to happen

build on my strength and help me find new ways to recover

Finding professional support

Counsellors and therapists can provide emotional support and help your child to make sense of their feelings. They can also help them find ways of coping. With younger children, therapists will do this this through activities such as play and drawing.

It's a good idea to look for someone who has training and experience in treating trauma. They will be able to take a trauma-informed approach. You can find out how your child or young person can access counselling in our guide for parents and carers.

If your child or young person is struggling, be open with the school about what's going on and what support they need.

Depending on their age, it can be important to make sure they feel some control over the information that's shared about them. Ask them whether there's a member of staff who they would feel comfortable for you to speak to.

Alongside counselling, schools can often provide things like:

support from the pastoral team

mentoring

peer buddying

clubs and activities that can help your child feel more relaxed

If your child is feeling anxious about school at the moment, you can find information and advice in our guide for parents and carers.

If you're worried about your child's mental health, it's a good idea to speak to your GP. This is usually the first step to accessing mental health services through the NHS.

The GP can find out more about how your child or young person is feeling. They can suggest what might help and where they can find support. If needed, they can refer them to the NHS mental health service for children and young people, known as CAMHS. Through CAMHS they can get a specialist assessment and further treatment.

For more information about GPs, have a look at our guide for parents and carers.

Supporting a child or young person who has gone through trauma can be a very emotional experience. So take time to look after yourself and rest when you can.

Remember that in order to support your child, you need to keep looking after yourself. Talk to trusted friends, family and anyone else in your support network. It's okay to ask for help and to take time out when you need it.

If you feel that you need more support, you can ask for counselling or other support through your GP. You can also access a private counsellor or therapist if this is an affordable option for you.

Useful helplines and websites

While we take care to ensure that the organisations we signpost to provide high quality information and advice, we cannot take responsibility for any specific pieces of advice they may offer. We encourage parents and carers to always explore the website of a linked service or organisation to understand who they are and what support they offer before engaging with them.

This page was reviewed in October 2023. It was created with parents and carers with lived experience of supporting their child or young person with trauma. We will next review the page in 2026. YoungMinds is a proud member of PIF TICK - the UK's quality mark for trusted health information.
Whether you love the page or think something is missing, we appreciate your feedback. It all helps us to support more young people with their mental health.

Please be aware that this form isn't a mental health support service. If your child is in crisis right now and you want to talk to someone urgently, find out who to contact on our urgent help page.

At YoungMinds we take your privacy seriously. If you'd like to read more about how we keep the information we collect safe, take a look at our privacy policy.

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Trauma and Mental Health | Guide For Parents

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If your child is struggling with the effects of trauma we have advice to help you support them to heal, and to find the right professional help if needed.

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... Primary School uses the following professionals for support and guidance.

Lifeline- 0808 808 8000

Childline- 0800 1111

Southern Trust Area, AMH MensSana- 028 3839 2314

Occasionally, we have visitors in from the agencies for general workshops where children can take part and develop their own knowledge on what is safe and unsafe, for their own mental health, importance of physical exercise and other aspects of a childs well-being.

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At ... School the setting gets to know the children through a child-centred approach. The setting has a high level of attendance for the high number of pupils.

School-staff are approachable and offer a strong partnership, whether parents want to voice a concern or to have a general chat, staff are happy to listen.

School Council and other pupil involvement opportunities allow pupils to share their views and ideas.