ARC Learning Hub

St. Andrew’s and St. Mark’s CofE Junior School (SASM) began a transformation of its school culture in 2020, moving away from traditional behaviourist models to prioritise an attachment and trauma-aware approach. This shift was driven by a commitment to the UN Convention of Children’s Rights and an increasing need to support pupils facing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). By partnering with the Virtual School and grounding their work in evidence-based research, SASM set an ambitious goal to create a systemic, whole-school relational strategy. receiving the Timpson ARC award for outstanding trauma-informed practice for London and the South East, as well as achieving the Gold Attachment Aware Award and Gold Rights Respecting School status.

The practical implementation of this vision has touched every corner of the school environment. Staff are no longer just educators but "trusted adults" trained in the science of trauma and equipped with a toolkit of relational phrases and actions, such as PACE and emotion coaching. The physical school site has been adapted to be low-arousal, featuring new outside safe spaces and quiet clubs to support students during less structured times. To ensure student voice is at the heart of their practice, pupils participate in twice-daily digital "Zones of Regulation" check-ins, allowing them to share worries directly with their teachers. This culture of empathy is further strengthened by Year 6 Peer Mentors who are trained to support their younger schoolmates using the same restorative language used by the staff.

The impact of these changes has been both measurable and deeply felt across the community, including a decline in behavior incidents and staff members reporting feeling more confident and supported by leadership. In turn, families have expressed deep gratitude for the "amazingly supportive" environment the school provides for their children.

Looking outward, SASM is now establishing itself as a best-practice hub for relational approaches within the local area. The school actively shares its expertise by hosting training for Early Career Teachers from neighboring schools and leading workshops to help families implement emotion coaching at home. Through these ongoing efforts, the school continues to build an "army of volunteers" and advocates, ensuring that trauma-informed practice remains a proactive force for good in the lives of their pupils and the wider community