Sports Leadership

The Leadership Skills Foundation is a prominent awarding organisation dedicated to the development of leadership skills in young people. They bring these essential skills to life through practically applied qualifications and accredited awards across the curriculum and beyond, empowering learners with the confidence to believe, the qualities to lead and the skills to succeed.

Therefore, as a trauma informed school, Chaigeley recognises the importance PE can play in the development of SEMH pupils and how a simple game can have a huge impact on the development or re-establishment of neural pathways to aid in the recovery process.

Using research linked to how best to implement a PE programme for such a diverse and complex set of individuals; PE at Chaigeley School will be structured around the development of the core skills used in PE and how these skills can be linked to everyday life.

These will be tracked and assessed through the Key Stages of school but will reflect each individual pupil’s pathway and how they can develop these skills as an individual utilising various qualifications offered by the Leadership Skills Foundation and the Sports Leadership programmes they offer.

PlayMaker Award

The PlayMaker Award helps learners develop leadership skills such as organisation, communication and teamwork. It will also build confidence and self-esteem as your learners take on the responsibility of assisting in leading their peers and younger children.

Anyone can become a PlayMaker, regardless of their leadership experience. The PlayMaker Award is designed in a way so that learners can participate, lead activities that interest them, and learn about essential leadership skills.

Young Leader Award

First step towards leadership skills.

The Young Leader Award offers learners the first stepping stone in leadership skill development. Learners gain experience of organising and leading small games and activities for their peers and are supported to start the development of the skills needed to take on greater responsibilities.

PE Life Skills Award

PE teaches valuable life skills such as resilience, collaboration, and independence – all of which can inspire and empower young people to excel in all areas of their lives.  The PE Life Skills Award recognises and rewards learners as they develop these essential life skills through the PE curriculum.

Celebrate the development of life skills through PE

Developed in partnership with the Youth Sport Trust, the PE Life Skills highlights and celebrates the full range of achievements young people gain through PE, boosting engagement and nurturing a lifelong, positive relationship with physical activity.

Now in its fourth year, this award is designed to work across primary and secondary school stages. It is tailored to meet the developmental needs at each level, ensuring inclusivity for a wide range of abilities within the same class. This makes it particularly suitable for alternative provision settings, special schools, and hospital schools.

The resources for the award provide schools with a framework and the tools to support delivery to students and rewards learners with a certificate at the end of the award.

Trauma and Child Development Glossary

Supporting parents, carers and staff in understanding key terms

A–C

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Attachment Disruption

Trauma can make it hard for children to build secure, trusting relationships with caregivers or peers.

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Attunement

When caregivers notice, understand, and respond to a child’s feelings, the child feels safe and supported.

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Behaviour as Communication

Challenging behaviour is often a sign that a child is feeling distressed, scared, or overwhelmed—not just being defiant. It’s their way of showing they need help.

Aggression or outbursts – May show fear, frustration, or a need to feel in control.
Withdrawal or silence – Could mean the child feels anxious, ashamed, or shut down.
Work avoidance – Might be a sign of:

Fear of failing or getting it wrong

Low confidence or feeling helpless

Trouble concentrating or remembering

Feeling unsafe or overwhelmed

Wanting control when things feel uncertain

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Brain Development Impact

Trauma changes how the brain grows and works:

Brainstem – Controls basic things like breathing and heartbeat. Trauma can make it stay on high alert.

Cerebellum – Helps with balance and movement. Stress can make this harder.

Limbic System – Manages feelings and memories. Trauma can make it very sensitive.

Amygdala – Notices danger. Trauma can make it overreact.

Hippocampus – Helps with learning and remembering. Trauma can make it weaker.

Prefrontal Cortex – Controls thinking and self-control. Trauma can slow its growth.

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Co-Regulation
The process of an adult helping a child manage their emotions by staying calm and attuned. This may happen through play, talking, or just being with the child.

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D–F

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Developmental Trauma
Ongoing trauma during childhood that impacts emotions, learning, and relationships across life.

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Dissociation
A coping strategy where children “disconnect” (daydream, space out, or forget things) to escape overwhelming feelings.

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Dysregulation
Difficulty managing emotions, behaviours, or body states—leading to mood swings, impulsivity, or trouble calming down.

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Emotional Regulation Challenges
Children may react with intense emotions or seem shut down and numb.

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Fight–Flight–Freeze–Fawn (FFFF) Response
The body’s survival system, which trauma can keep on “high alert”:
• Fight – Aggression or defiance.
• Flight – Avoiding, running, or hiding.
• Freeze – Shutting down or going silent.
• Fawn – People-pleasing to avoid conflict.

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G–M

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Hypervigilance and Safety Seeking
Children may constantly scan for danger, even in safe places, causing anxiety or sleep problems.

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Memory and Learning Impacts
Trauma can make it harder to focus, remember, and learn.

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Motional – Understanding and Supporting Emotions

Motional is an online tool used in schools to help understand and support children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health. It is based on research from Trauma-Informed Schools and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

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Motional focuses on three key emotional systems:

Social Engagement (when a child feels safe) Care, Seeking, Play

Social Defence (when a child feels unsafe) Rage, Fear, Panic/Grief

Executive & Social Functioning (how we manage and connect)

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P–R

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PRRR – Protect, Relate, Regulate, Reflect

A trauma-informed approach that helps adults support children by:
• Protecting – Creating safety.
• Relating – Building connection.
• Regulating – Helping manage emotions.
• Reflecting – Supporting understanding and meaning-making.

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PACE – Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy

An attitude and approach that helps adults build safe, trusting relationships with children who have experienced trauma. Developed by Dr. Dan Hughes, PACE supports emotional connection, regulation, and healing.

Playfulness – Using lightness and warmth in your voice and interactions to reduce tension and build connection.
Acceptance – Valuing the child without judgment, even when their behaviour is challenging.
Curiosity – Gently wondering about the child’s internal experience (e.g., “I wonder if you were feeling scared?”), rather than assuming or accusing.
Empathy – Feeling with the child and showing them they’re not alone in their emotions.

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S–T

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Safe and Predictable Environments
Structured classrooms and routines in ways that feel consistent and secure for pupils.

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Seven Key Areas Affected by Trauma

Physical Health – Higher risk of illness.
Emotional Development – Trouble managing feelings.
Behavioural Regulation – Impulsivity and outbursts.
Cognitive Development – Problems with memory and learning.
Attachment – Difficulty forming secure bonds.
Self-Concept – Low self-esteem, shame, or guilt.
Spirituality/Meaning – Struggles with trust, hope, and worldview.

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Toxic Stress
Prolonged stress without support that harms brain and body development.

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Trauma-Informed Practice
An approach that recognises the presence and impact of trauma and seeks to create safe, supportive environments.

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Triggers

Triggers are things that remind a child of past trauma, even if the child doesn’t realise it.

They can cause a sudden emotional reaction like fear, anger, or shutdown. Triggers are different for each child and can be:

A sound (e.g. shouting)
A smell or touch
A tone of voice or facial expression
Certain words, places, or situations

Triggers may seem small or harmless to others, but to a child with trauma, they can feel very real and overwhelming.

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Team Around the Child – Emotionally Available Adult
A network of caring adults, with at least one consistently emotionally available adult, supporting the child’s emotional and developmental needs.

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V–Z

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Vagus Nerve
A key nerve that helps the body calm down. Activities like deep breathing, singing, or being with safe people can strengthen it.

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WINE – Wonder, Imagine, Notice, Empathy
A trauma-informed approach promoting curiosity and empathy to understand and support children’s feelings and behaviours.

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Window of Tolerance

The zone where a child feels calm enough to learn, think, and manage emotions.

When inside this window, they can cope with everyday challenges.
When outside it, they may become:

Too overwhelmed (angry, anxious, panicked), or
Shut down (numb, withdrawn, unresponsive).

Support from calm, caring adults can help bring them back into their window.

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Bubbles of Delight

A light hearted and fun activity of which the children blow bubbles, describing how they are feeling and the experience.

Step by step guide

1. Help the children to move into a circle. Encourage, help and enable children to sit together with sensitive adults placing a kind hand around a child that needs reassurance or a sense of containment. Be aware of those children in the group who find touch difficult and help them to feel acknowledged, safe and understood.

2. The adult then shows the children the bubble game – a bowl of water with washing up liquid inside it and encourages one of the children to have a go at blowing into the water with a straw. As the bubbles emerge and swarm, the adult models the delight and matches the delight of the child blowing the bubbles and the other children who are watching the bubbles emerge. The adult shows delight in their facial expressions and matches the noises of delight that the children make, then naming the experience for the children…. “wow… look!
There are lots of bubbles!!” “Bubbling up and out of the bowl” “They are sparkly and magical”… the adult giggles and laughs and names the sensation… “those bubbles are in my tummy too…. Bubbling my happiness and excitement” “It feels tickly on my nose…”

3. Invite the children to have a go with a partner. Notice the sensations that the children might be feeling, naming the sensations and noticing out loud what it might be like so that the child can hear and feel the adult is alongside them and containing them through the activity but also modelling their delight and joy. It is important that the adults face is open, fun and involved in the adventure of discovery of what the bubbles can do and that this is named and noticed for the children
out loud.

4. As an extension of this activity, children can be encouraged to add food colouring to the bubbles or glitter to experiment with and to see what happens to the bubbles.