Rosedale Training is proud to have delivered Bereavement Awareness Training for Sapientia Education Trust schools as the new academic year begins for children across the country.
As schools reopened and staff gathered for the first Professional Development Day of the year, we were delighted to be invited by Sapientia Education Trust to deliver specialist Schools Bereavement Training to colleagues across the trust. It was an inspiring day filled with openness, reflection, and a shared commitment to ensuring every child feels safe, understood, and supported.
The training focused on empowering staff to feel confident and equipped to support children and young people experiencing bereavement or significant loss not only in the classroom, but across the wider school community. Participants explored how grief can affect learning, behaviour, relationships and emotional wellbeing, and how compassionate, informed responses from trusted adults can make a life-changing difference.
Why this training matters
Bereavement and loss affect far more pupils than many people realise:
By the age of 16, approximately 1 in 20 young people will have experienced the death of one or both parents.
Around 78% of secondary school pupils have experienced a significant loss.
By the age of 16, approximately 1 in 20 young people will have experienced the death of one or both parents.
In the UK, this equates to over 100 newly bereaved children every single day.
For many children, school remains their most consistent and secure environment during times of upheaval. Staff who feel confident talking about grief, recognising signs of distress, and knowing how to respond appropriately can significantly improve a child’s ability to cope, remain engaged in learning, and feel emotionally safe.
Building confidence, compassion and consistency
During the session, colleagues developed practical skills and strategies, including:
Understanding how children experience and express grief at different ages.
How to communicate sensitively and clearly with pupils and families.
Ways to support emotional regulation, memory-making and resilience.
Looking after staff wellbeing when supporting difficult situations.
The importance of consistent messaging and whole-school approaches.
Most importantly, the training aimed to ensure that everyone attending left feeling empowered, confident and reassured that they can make a positive difference for children, their colleagues and the wider community they serve.
A strong partnership for positive impact
We would like to thank Sapientia Education Trust for their commitment to staff development and pupil wellbeing, and for creating space at the very start of the academic year to prioritise this important area of care. Together, we are helping schools build compassionate, informed environments where no child has to navigate loss alone.
To find out more
If your school or trust would like to find out more about bereavement training or support resources, please contact Rosedale Training info@rosedaletraining.co.uk
