ELSA Training Contract

Commitment from the Facilitator

The facilitator will deliver six days’ training (9.15am-3.30pm), spread across the Spring and Summer term 2017. Training will take place at:

Bulwell Academy, Squires Avenue, Bulwell, Nottingham NG6 8HG

The following topics will be covered, on the under-mentioned dates:

Thursday 27th April 2017 / Emotional Literacy, Raising Emotional Awareness
Thursday 25th May 2017 / Building Resilience
Thursday 29th June 2017 / Building Resilience
Thursday 20th July 2017 / Emotional Regulation, Social and Friendship Skills
Thursday 28th September 2017 / Loss and Bereavement. Therapeutic Stories
Thursday 19th October 2017 / Reflective conversations working therapeutically with puppets

After completion of this training, group supervision will be provided half-termly to school clusters, normally by the link EP. Supervision sessions will last approximately two hours. ELSAs from secondary schools will be grouped together for supervision to ensure an appropriate professional peer group.

Commitment from School:

The school will nominate one TA (identified as having the necessary prerequisite skills to train as an ELSA, see attached) who will then be released for the six whole-day training sessions and for the half-termly supervision sessions. In some cases, two or more TAs can be trained.

The school will also need to release each ELSA for at least the equivalent of one day per week to plan and deliver programmes of support to individual pupils nominated by the school. For very small schools (for example, 100 pupils or fewer) half a day may be sufficient. A member of the teaching staff should be nominated to line-manage the ELSA.

The school will have to allocate approximately £500 for the purchase of appropriate emotional literacy resources during the first year, which should include ‘Emotional Wellbeing: an introductory handbook’ by Gillian Shotton and Sheila Burton, published by ‘Teach To Inspire’ at £29. This handbook has been written specifically to accompany ELSA training. See website: or order from Amazon. A further budget allocation should be made each subsequent year to enable ELSAs to develop an appropriate bank of resources in response to needs.

A charge of £650 (£450 training and £200 half-termly supervision) per ELSA will be made and this will be charged before the course starts. To keep project costs to a minimum, participating schools will be asked to host supervision sessions.

Name of School: …………………………………………………………………………………………………..

We wish to participate in ELSA training, beginning 27th April 2017 and agree to the terms of involvement outlined above. We agree to release each ELSA for every training day, plus twice-termly supervision sessions. We agree to allocate time each week, as specified, to ELSAs to fulfil their responsibilities.

Signed:…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Date:…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Designation:…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Name/s of ELSA/s to be trained:

(a) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(b) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(c) ………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Finance Contact Detail (to enable payment for training)

Please send your completed form to:

and copy this link for payment:

We would be able to provide a venue for one of the group supervision sessions:

Yes/No

ELSA Person Specification and Job Description

Person Specification

The ideal potential ELSA:

  • has a warm personality
  • is able to stay calm under pressure
  • demonstrates good interpersonal skills with children and adults
  • is able to gain the confidence of children who are behaviourally challenging or socially withdrawn
  • enjoys learning
  • is able to work independently and show initiative
  • has good time management and organisational skills
  • is able to plan programmes of support that incorporate variety, interest and pace
  • is able to keep succinct records of involvement

Job Description

The role requires the ELSA to:

  • attend training days and group supervision sessions led by the facilitator
  • plan and deliver individualised programmes of support for children to develop their emotional literacy, including:

- awareness of own and other people’s emotions

- development of an increased range of emotional vocabulary

- management of stress, grief, anger and conflict

- development of social interaction skills

- development of the ability to initiate and maintain friendships

- promotion of a realistic self-concept and good self-esteem

  • plan and deliver programmes of support to small groups of children to develop social and friendship skills
  • write succinct session plans and add subsequent evaluative comments
  • liaise with teachers and other support assistants about the needs and progress of children receiving support.
  • share knowledge and ideas from training/supervision sessions with other school staff as appropriate
  • meet regularly with line manager to review ELSA work
  • work within own competencies and level of development, under the guidance of the line manager
  • liaise with parents in line with school policy.