What Is This Resource?
The SEMH Wellbeing Workbook is a 16-page digital teacher resource designed to help class teachers and teaching assistants systematically monitor the social, emotional, and mental health of pupils with special educational needs (SEN) over the course of a full academic term. The workbook is structured across four clearly defined sections: a Cover and Overview (including a scoring guide and key definitions), a Weekly Tracker Sheet, a Term Overview, and a Teacher Action Guide. It is evidence-aligned with the Ofsted 2025 Framework, the SEND Code of Practice 2015, and the DfE's Working Together to Improve School Attendance (2024). The tool is explicitly not a diagnostic or clinical instrument - it is a systematic, longitudinal observation record designed to sit within a school's existing pastoral and SEND infrastructure. Student data is treated as personal data under UK GDPR, and the workbook includes clear safeguarding notes directing staff to report concerns in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE).
How to Use It
The workbook is designed to take under ten minutes per week. Each Friday, the teacher or TA scores up to 15 named students across three dimensions - Mood (emotional regulation), Social (peer and adult relationships), and Engagement (learning readiness) - using a 1–5 scale, where 1 indicates significant concern and 5 indicates a thriving student. These scores generate a RAG (Red, Amber, Green) status for each pupil. A Green rating (average of 3.5 or above) signals that current provision is working. Amber (average of 2.5–3.4, or a notable drop from the previous week) calls for verbal check-ins and minor adjustments. Red (below 2.5, or two consecutive Amber weeks) requires immediate escalation to the SENCO, contact with parents or carers, and a potential APDR (Assess-Plan-Do-Review) cycle review. At the end of each half-term, staff complete the Term Overview sheet, recording class-wide weekly averages and tallying RAG distribution. This data feeds into SENCO meetings, EHCP annual reviews, parent and carer conversations, and Ofsted inspections. The workbook's four reflection prompts at the end of each term help practitioners identify patterns - whether class-wide dips, individual persistent concerns, or evidence of positive impact.
Who Is It For?
This workbook is primarily designed for class teachers and teaching assistants working with SEN pupils in UK schools, particularly those supporting students with identified Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. It will be most relevant in primary and secondary settings where staff are responsible for weekly pastoral monitoring and need a structured, Ofsted-ready evidence trail. SENCOs will find the Term Overview and RAG Distribution Summary Table particularly valuable for review meetings and inspection preparation. The workbook is a professional tool only - it is not intended to be completed by or shared with students, and it does not replace referral to mental health professionals when that is needed. Schools already using frameworks such as the Boxall Profile or the Thrive Approach are encouraged to use this tracker as a complementary, lighter-touch weekly check-in rather than a standalone assessment.
