The importance of understanding bereavement in schools
Many teachers have told us they wish they had been better prepared when they experience a death in the school community. To support schools we have developed a free Bereavement Resource which you can find in our Resources page (LINK).
Young people can find it very difficult to ask for help after a bereavement, so knowing what help is available and how to enable children and students to get appropriate help is important for schools.
It is not always the loss of a loved one through death that bereavement occurs. Divorce, separation and moving away to a new location can also cause feelings of grief and loss.
It is important for young people to be informed about bereavement. Schools can help prepare pupils for their own future experiences of loss, good education can help dispel myths and taboos, and help children to know how to support their peers.
Grief is a very personal experience, every child and young person will experience it in a different way. Frustration, anger and instability are widespread reactions, and this can lead to changes in behaviour in class. Teachers and educators can be far more comfortable knowing how to support a pupil experiencing grief, and can manage challenging behaviour more productively.
In her paper Child Bereavement: What School Psychologists Need To Know. Huda Ayyash-Abdo explains that silencing the subject of death at home and at school, leads to children experiencing “pain, isolation, distress and at times dysfunctional manifestations of grief”. Left to their own devices, unhealthy grieving in children and young people has a detrimental effect on them. School psychologists may not have the time to provide the ongoing support to every bereaved student and their family, sometimes additional support is needed.
Integrating death and bereavement education into the curriculum can help children to develop a realistic and healthy attitude towards death and loss, be more sensitive to the grief of others and develop more effective coping strategies of their own. Education around death and loss is a better preventative measure for future problems.
Teachers and educators may need to understand their own grief and loss, and feel better prepared to support their colleagues too. The pandemic has caused a much greater need in schools to be more aware of grief, loss and bereavement not only in the pupils but also for staff. In response to this we have developed a free Bereavement Resource
which you can find in our Resources page.
This resource has been developed in collaboration with Rainbows Bereavement Support GB, Grief Encounter and World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation. This resource will also give you some more awareness into the different cultural rituals and rites around bereavement.
Rainbows Bereavement Support Great Britain, is a well respected national charity having a proven, positive impact on the lives of children, young people and adults. Their vision is quite simply for every child and young person in every school in Great Britain, grieving a significant and often devastating loss in their lives, to be understood and supported appropriately.
Grief Encounter is a charity set up to help with the confusion, fear, loneliness and pain, providing a lifeline to children and young people to cope with free, immediate, one-to-one
support. They work closely with schools nationwide to ensure all students have someone to turn to following bereavement.
World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation worked with us to organise a screening of their film Emu Runner to help raise awareness of the different ways that a child can manage their grieving. It tells the story of an 8-year-old indigenous Australian girl dealing with her mother’s death by forging a bond with a wild emu and helping her deal with her grief. We hope this heart warming family film will not only educate but motivate you to learn more about issues around bereavement and the cultural differences that can add further challenges.
We hope you enjoy the film and find our resource useful.
Steve Sinnott • June 25, 2021
A moment to be proud of and a reminder of why young people’s voices matter. Today, artwork created by students from UNESCO ASPnet UK schools on the theme of peace was presented to Pope Leo XIV at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, alongside artwork from young people in other countries. What an amazing opportunity for our students to have their creativity, ideas and hopes represented on an international stage. For me, this is what UNESCO ASPnet is about: creating opportunities for young people to connect across cultures, express themselves creatively, learn from one another and imagine a better future together. The power of young people’s creativity: their voices being part of an international conversation about education, peace, culture and our shared future. UNESCO’s programme for Pope Leo XIV’s visit specifically focused on education, artistic creation, AI, information integrity and peace. The work was part of a mural that brings together 80 original creations marking UNESCO’s 80th anniversary, produced as part of the "International Youth for Peace" competition organized by France TV and UNESCO.
Most of us want to leave the world a little better than we found it. Whether that's through the people we love, the values we pass on, or the causes we care about, we all hope our legacy will make a difference. One of the simplest ways to do that is by writing a will. This autumn, we are proud to be taking part in the Change Starts with a Will campaign, allowing our supporters to write or update their will free of charge through our trusted partner, Octopus Legacy. Why writing a will matters Writing a will isn't just about deciding who inherits your possessions. It's about making sure your wishes are respected and providing peace of mind for the people you care about. Having a will means you can: Protect the people you love. Make important decisions about your estate. Reduce uncertainty for your family. Leave a lasting gift to a cause that reflects your values. Many people put off writing a will, believing it's something to think about later in life. In reality, it's one of the most important documents you'll ever create. A legacy that supports education Steve Sinnott dedicated his life to championing education as a fundamental human right. His belief was simple but powerful: every child deserves the opportunity to learn, and every teacher deserves the support they need to inspire future generations. Today, we continue that mission by working with partners across the world to improve access to quality education, strengthen teaching and support communities where education can change lives. When you choose to leave a gift in your will to The Steve Sinnott Foundation, you're helping ensure that this work can continue for years to come. After taking care of family and friends, even a small gift could help provide learning opportunities, strengthen education systems and create brighter futures for generations to come. A gift that lasts beyond a lifetime Legacy gifts play an important role in helping charities plan for the future. Your support could help us continue investing in sustainable education projects, supporting teachers and ensuring more children have access to the education they deserve. It's a powerful way to ensure your values live on long into the future. Write your will for free As part of our Autumn 2026 campaign, we're offering supporters the opportunity to write or update their will free of charge through Octopus Legacy. There is no obligation to leave a gift to The Steve Sinnott Foundation, but we hope you'll consider remembering us after you've taken care of those closest to you. Together, we can continue Steve Sinnott's vision of a world where education changes lives. Find out more If you've been thinking about writing your will, there's never been a better time. Our free will service is available until 31 October 2026 , making it easy to protect the people you love while considering the lasting impact your legacy could have on education worldwide. https://octopuslegacy.com/online-will?channel=partner Change starts with a will. And together, we can help create a future where education is accessible to everyone.
Seeds of Hope are everywhere! “I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I arrived at Stage at the Lake…” But it was special to meet all of the Calderdale team in person, who had brought this four-day event together so successfully. Sometimes an event stays with you long after the final performance has finished. My visit to Stage at the Lake at the beautiful Shibden Hall in Calderdale was one of those occasions. As UNESCO ASPnet UK Coordinator, I was delighted to be invited as a guest, but what I experienced was much more than simply attending an event. Here, in the grounds of a house steeped in history, the past, present and future seemed to meet. The English Chamber Orchestra filled the setting with music, Northern Ballet brought movement and storytelling to life, and throughout there was a wonderful sense of creativity, community and possibility. And then there were the parklets; a unique gardening festival at Shibden Park celebrating community, creativity and the power of nature to bring people together. At its heart was a specially commissioned trail of ten micro show gardens, designed and built by community groups from across Calderdale. It was wonderful to see spaces where ideas, conversations and creativity were flourishing and connecting through Seeds of Hope. I cannot wait to see them transported to their ‘forever homes’. Standing there, I found myself thinking about what we mean when we talk about education, culture and hope.
