Health & Wellbeing @ NLPS

Parents' and Carers' Coffee Morning

We warmly invite all of our parents and carers to join us in the staffroom for our final Coffee Morning for 2026 on Tuesday 20th October from 9:00–9:30am.

Our wonderful community volunteers Sheri Seyit and Anna Terzi will be making traditional Turkish coffee for everyone to enjoy. If you’d like, you’re also very welcome to bring along something yummy to share.

What makes our school community so special is the strong partnership between our families and our school. Whether you’ve joined us before or haven’t yet had the chance to come along, we’d love to welcome you for a coffee, a chat, and an opportunity to connect with other families and members of our school community.

Everyone is welcome, and we hope to see you there! 

Speak Up Respectfully: Helping Children Find Their Voice

At school, I often talk to children about the importance of ‘speaking their truth' - being able to say how they feel, what they think, and what they need, in a respectful way.

As an adult, this is something I can still find uncomfortable at times (perhaps it’s the people pleaser in me!). That’s why I believe teaching children to use their voice from a young age is such an important life skill.

Expressing feelings rather than holding them in can help children make sense of their emotions, communicate their needs, and work through problems with others. It can also help build confidence, healthy boundaries, and stronger relationships.

One simple strategy I teach children is the Assertive Sandwich:

I feel… name the feeling. 

Because… explain what has happened.

I need… clearly say what you need or would like to change.

For example:

“I feel frustrated because we always play the game you choose. I need to have a turn choosing too.”

Being assertive is not about being rude, demanding, or unkind. It is about learning to communicate honestly, calmly, and respectfully.

As adults, our instinct can sometimes be to step in and solve problems for children. Instead, we can help them find the words to speak for themselves.

When we teach children to ‘speak their truth’ respectfully, we are giving them a skill they can carry into their friendships, relationships, and lives - well beyond the classroom.

You may like to use these same prompts at home with your child, or print the Assertive Sandwich image and keep it somewhere visible. When small challenges or disagreements arise at home, encourage your child to pause and use the prompts “I feel… because… I need…” to communicate how they are feeling and what they would like to happen next. With practice, this language can become a natural and confident way for children to express themselves.

By giving children opportunities to practise these skills from a young age, we can help them grow into young people who feel confident using their voice, expressing their needs, and speaking up respectfully for themselves.

Samantha Meddis

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader