Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL)
SEAL is a voluntary programme designed to develop the social and emotional skills of all pupils through:
- using a whole school approach to create a climate and conditions that promote the skills and allow these to be practiced and consolidated
- direct and focused learning opportunities for whole classes, across the curriculum and outside formal lessons and as part of small group work
- using learning and teaching approaches that support pupils to learn social and emotional skills and consolidate those already learned
- continuing professional development for the whole school staff.
The skills are in five groupings:
- self-awareness
- managing feelings
- empathy
- motivation
- social skills.
Important skills
These skills support positive behaviour, regular attendance, learning, employability and wellbeing and have the potential to improve social mobility. Pupils benefit from the development of these skills and regular opportunities to practice them at school. Some pupils who have not had proper opportunities to learn these skills at home will derive particular benefit.
The skills SEAL seeks to promote are essential for children and young people to achieve all five of the Every Child Matters outcomes. SEAL helps schools to create a safe and emotionally healthy school environment where pupils can learn effectively. The skills are an important component of PSHE and help pupils to be responsible citizens.
The role of parents
Parents' role here is very important. Schools need to provide opportunities for children to practise, consolidate and extend these skills, and there is growing and considerable support for the view that schools should prioritise this.
SEAL uses learning and teaching approaches that are familiar to teachers, it provides examples embedded within the experience of children and young people, and aligns itself with other National Curriculum materials and the National Curriculum programmes of study.
More information about SEAL in primary and secondary schools, including downloadable resources, is available on the SEAL website.
Useful websites
