How Little Heaton Primary School Strengthened Its Culture of Inclusion, Behaviour and Wellbeing

When Chloe Noon, Headteacher at Little Heaton Primary School, part of The Cranmer Education Trust, first engaged CEWB in September, the priority was clear: to strengthen provision for pupils' behaviour, personal development, and emotional wellbeing in a way that was consistent, sustainable, and rooted in strong relationships.

This was not about a quick fix. It was about building a model that would remove barriers to learning, improve pupils' readiness to learn, and contribute to a calm, purposeful environment across the school.

Getting the placement right

The success of any external provision in school depends on how well it aligns with the school's ethos, expectations, and daily practice. CEWB's commitment to understanding the school context before placement ensured strong implementation from the outset.

In this case, that was Alisha.

From day one, Alisha became a calm, consistent, and trusted adult within the school — strengthening Little Heaton's inclusive and nurturing culture, particularly for pupils with additional social, emotional, and mental health needs. Her practice is deeply trauma-informed, enabling pupils to feel safe, understood, and supported.

For pupils who struggle with regulation and trust, consistency is everything. Over time, pupils who had previously found it difficult to engage began to show increased levels of regulation, improved relationships with adults, and greater readiness to access learning.

Alisha has settled into school life so naturally and is now at the point where she is breaking down barriers and making a real difference for some of our children. The relationships she has built are strong and trusting, and we are already seeing the impact of that consistency

Alisha operates with a high level of professionalism and autonomy, integrating seamlessly into the life of the school and complementing the work of teaching staff without adding pressure to leadership capacity. Her proactive weekly check-ins ensure strong communication and alignment with whole-school priorities — something particularly valued during a period of leadership transition.

All safeguarding, vetting, and compliance procedures were completed thoroughly by CEWB, ensuring the provision met the school's statutory safeguarding expectations and could be implemented with full confidence.

We are beginning to see a positive impact on behaviour incidents, with pupils better able to regulate, remain in class, and access their learning. This is strengthening Little Heaton's inclusive practice and ensuring that all pupils — particularly the most vulnerable — are able to access the full curriculum.

Creating space for staff too

Alongside pupil support, CEWB is providing structured supervision — recognising that staff wellbeing and professional reflection are critical to sustaining high standards in behaviour, safeguarding, and inclusion.

These sessions are delivered by John, a former primary headteacher, giving staff a confidential, professional space to reflect on their work with vulnerable pupils guided by someone who truly understands the realities of school leadership. In a fast-paced environment, this protected time to reflect is often missing.

The impact was significant — strengthening staff confidence, improving consistency of approach, and supporting staff to manage complex situations more effectively.

The sessions are supportive, purposeful, and genuinely helpful in reflecting on their work with vulnerable pupils. There is now greater consistency, confidence, and shared understanding when responding to pupils with additional needs.

What Chloe said

We really value how adaptable your service is. Being able to respond to need — whether that is direct work with pupils or supporting staff — has been a real strength. Alisha's approach is highly trauma-informed and responsive. She has built strong, trusting relationships and has become a valued part of our school community. We are seeing the impact not just in individual pupils, but in their ability to regulate, reengage, and access learning more successfully. For us, this is not just about wellbeing in isolation — it is about ensuring every child is ready to learn and able to succeed. I have also recommended your services to other Trust schools as a result of how positive our experience has been.

A model that works for Schools and Trusts

For schools and Multi-Academy Trusts looking to strengthen provision for behaviour, personal development, and inclusion, the CEWB model offers a flexible, responsive, and impactful approach. Rather than sitting alongside school systems, CEWB practitioners become part of them — contributing to a consistent, relational approach that supports both pupils and staff.

The impact goes beyond individual interventions. It strengthens the school's overall quality of education by ensuring that more pupils are regulated, engaged, and ready to access the curriculum successfully.

The difference this has made is not just seen in individual children, but in the overall culture of the school. There is a greater sense of calm, consistency, and shared understanding — and that has a direct impact on learning.

Every school is different. What makes the difference is getting the right people, embedding them effectively, and allowing relationships to grow over time. That's what has been achieved at Little Heaton — and it reflects the impact CEWB aims to deliver across all its school partnerships.

If your school or trust is looking to build a model similar to Little Heaton, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.