Health & Wellbeing @ NLPS

Join Us for Our First Coffee Morning of the Year!

We’re excited to invite you to our first Coffee Morning Catch-Up for the year! Held once each term, these relaxed gatherings are a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow parents, carers, and staff, over a cup of coffee or tea.

📅 Date: Tuesday 10th February

⏰ Time: 8:55 - 9:30am

📍 Location: Staffroom

We’re especially lucky to have Sheri Seyit and Anna Terzi, our special community volunteers, returning to make delicious Turkish coffee once again. Whether you’re new to the school or a familiar face, we’d love for you to join us for a chat and a chance to build our school community together.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Starting the Year Strong: Transitions, Goodbyes and Big Feelings

The start of the school year is exciting, and for many children, it can also feel a little overwhelming.

New teachers, new classrooms, new routines, and new expectations ask a lot of children. In the first few weeks, this can show up as big emotions, tiredness, or unsettled behaviour. This isn’t children being difficult, it’s children adjusting. Their brains are working hard to find safety in a new environment.

One of the most powerful ways we can support children during this time is through calm, predictable transitions, and reassuring goodbyes.

Children are very sensitive to the emotions of the adults around them. When adults remain steady and calm, children are more likely to feel secure and settle into their day.

Why Transitions Matter

Moments such as morning drop-off, moving between activities, or lining up can be the most challenging parts of a child’s day. These are times when uncertainty can quickly turn into big feelings.

Clear routines, warm connections, and predictable goodbyes help children to:

• feel safe
• settle more quickly
• build confidence and trust
• and be ready to learn.

A calm, confident goodbye can set a positive tone for the whole day.

What Children Need Most at the Start of the Year

At the beginning of the year, children benefit most from:

• predictability – knowing what will happen next
• belonging – feeling welcome and known
• co-regulation – calm adults to support big feelings
• consistency – familiar routines and responses
• and time – to settle, practise and adjust.

Ensuring we Build Strong Foundations

Our teachers intentionally spend time building relationships, teaching routines, practising transitions and modelling expectations. This early investment supports calmer classrooms, stronger connections and smoother learning as the term progresses.

Big Feelings Are Part of the Process

Returning to school can bring sensory overload, social pressure and fatigue. When a child becomes upset, withdrawn or emotional, we respond with curiosity and care. Calm adults help children learn how to calm themselves. Connection always comes before correction.

Building Belonging

Belonging is the foundation for learning. By using daily greetings, H.E.L.L.O. activities (Helping Everyone Learn, Laugh and Open up), B.E.A.M. reflections (Before Exiting, a Moment) and intentionally building positive relationships, we strive to ensure every child can say:

“I am safe here. I matter here.”

How Families Can Support Children at Drop-Off

Morning drop-off can be one of the biggest transitions of the day. A few simple, consistent approaches can help:

• keep goodbyes calm, warm and brief
• use a predictable goodbye ritual (a hug, a wave, or a special phrase)
• offer reassurance and trust that staff will support your child
• and remember that settling can take time, and that’s okay!

Calm, predictable goodbyes often help children feel safe and ready to begin their day.

As always, if you have concerns, please speak to your child’s teacher. 

We’re looking forward to a wonderful year together as we support your children to thrive.

Samantha Meddis

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader