PUPILS at Sageston CP School were visited by a very special guest to celebrate the playgroup’s achievement of the PATHS Model Pre-School Award.

PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies) is a Social and Emotional Learning Programme which helps teach pupils self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making. It is run by the children’s charity Barnardo’s.

Since April 2022, staff at the playgroup have been working with children and families accessing the setting to support them with developing these essential social and emotional skills. The first children who engaged with the programme are now in Year 1 and are still able to draw on what they learnt in playgroup to help them manage their emotions and relationships.

The programme also compliments the Welsh Curriculum in supporting children in one of its core principles – ‘healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society’. Playgroup PATHS sessions take place twice a day, once in the morning with the younger children and once in the afternoon with lessons adapted to the age range of the children involved.

During the special assembly, which was attended by Claire Sell and Christine Evans from PATHS, as well as family members of those pupils who have used the playgroup in the past two and a half years, the pupils were excited to welcome Twiggle, who along with three other puppet characters, is used to help deliver the key messages of the programme in a fun and engaging manner.

Anna O’Leary, playgroup assistant, who led the programme within the school, stated, “Since implementing the programme, it has been a joy to see the overall positive impact it has had on the children. One of the key aspects to our success has been looking at how excited and happy the children look when Twiggle and his friends come out and say hello! The children are always so engaged when it’s ‘Twiggle Time’ which gives us, as staff, a big push to continue with the lessons. We are so excited to see their enthusiasm and reactions!’

Throughout the programme, the playgroup has received excellent coaching from Claire Sell and been provided with resources to deliver the programme effectively. From comments staff in the playgroup have received from parents, it is evident that the children have also been implementing the programme at home.

“It was exciting to see Twiggle,” said Barnaby, one of the first pupils in the school to engage with the PATHS programme. “I think Twiggle is cute, and I enjoyed seeing him in assembly,” said Alfie, another pupil who worked on the PATHS programme when he was attending the playgroup.