Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed School (AAS) Project

A new project to increase the understanding of attachment and trauma and ways to address this in education is already having a positive impact in Warwickshire schools.

The Attachment Aware and Trauma Informed School Project (AAS) is coordinated by the Warwickshire Virtual School and supported by the Educational Psychology Service. 

The focus of the project is on whole school training (this includes teaching, non-teaching and all allied support staff, including office staff, caretakers, school governors etc).

The key aims of the project are:

• Raising awareness and increasing understanding of the role of attachment and trauma in children’s education and strategies to better address their needs;
• Developing staff confidence and skills to address the needs of children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences/trauma and attachment difficulties;
• Promoting the development of relationships in school between adults and children/young people, with the emphasis on building positive relationships;
• Reducing exclusions from school and improving attendance;
• Improving educational progress and wellbeing of children.

Nine schools took part in the AAS Year 2 project and a further 14 schools are involved in the Year 3 project. The hope is that there will be a recruitment round for Year 4 towards the end of the Autumn term, so look out for further information in Heads Up. 

The Rees Centre, Oxford University has been undertaking an evaluation of the project, taking into account impact measures, and feedback from the Year 2 project has been very positive. There have been a range of significant changes noted in schools, helping to strengthen inclusive and nurturing practice, including

• whole school policy change
• small and large scale organisational change as a result of action research projects
• in one school, the development of safe spaces in all classrooms

The core training provided by the Educational Psychology Service covers an understanding of attachment theory and the evidence base to support it, the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences on the developing brain and the ways in which children may communicate, via their behaviour, how they are feeling.  Other training opportunities included emotion coaching, developing resilience and reviewing Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) policies, in conjunction with a range of more bespoke inputs.

Here are some of the reflections from headteachers involved in the project: 

“Massive improvements in staff….especially NQT and new staff.”

“Reductions in serious behaviour incidents” (but also coincided with nurture provision)

“Feels like [staff have] more time for children.” 

“Understanding of how a child feels rather than [the focus being on what they] do.”

“Children on the cusp of exclusion ….being viewed differently.”

“Quieter classrooms”

“Makes things easier for all.”

“The environment is notably calmer.”

“Increased tolerance towards each other.”

“Explosions are managed in a different way.”

“Staff are more likely to theorise and experiment in their thinking about underlying triggers.”

“Children not in corridors”

“Changes in relationships with children…..staff relationship turned around.”

For more information about the project please contact virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk