Guest Speaker alison waterhouse
Connected Classrooms: Using Circles for Learning to Develop Positive Peer Relationships and Social Skills
Alison Waterhouse explores how Circles for Learning can help pupils develop essential social skills, build stronger peer relationships and create a more connected classroom.
This practical session explores how observation, reflection and follow-up activities can support communication, empathy, cooperation and belonging.
Duration
2 Hours
Format
Live online training
CPD
5 CPD points
Price
£80 + VAT
Designed for
Thrive Practitioners
connected classrooms CPD
Overview
Positive peer relationships and social skills are central to children’s learning, wellbeing and sense of belonging.
This session explores how Circles for Learning uses visits from a parent and young child, alongside structured follow-up activities, to help pupils observe real-life communication, emotional expression and relationship-building.
You’ll discover how to turn these observations into practical learning opportunities that develop communication, participation, friendship, respect, conflict resolution and teamwork. The session will also explore how helping children view behaviour with curiosity can support more inclusive and respectful relationships.
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connected classrooms CPD
What you’ll gain from this CPD
Explore how observation and reflection can strengthen social skills and peer relationships, and gain practical ideas you can use in the classroom.
- Build confidence supporting social and emotional learning.
- Gain practical strategies to use straight away.
- Understand how children develop social awareness.
- Promote positive peer interaction without adding workload.
- Create a more inclusive classroom culture.
- Turn everyday relationships into learning opportunities.
- How Circles for Learning develops social skills and peer relationships.
- How observation can become a practical teaching opportunity.
- The six key areas of social development.
- Ways to teach communication, cooperation and conflict resolution.
- How to build empathy, respect and belonging.
- How to embed social learning into everyday classroom practice.
Our guest speaker
Alison brings a wealth of experience working with children and young people and has developed the Circles for Learning Project based on the key foundations of mental health and wellbeing.
Alison Waterhouse
Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultant and Therapeutic Education Specialist
Alison has more than 30 years’ experience across mainstream, specialist and alternative education. Her roles have included teacher, SENCo, Head of Inclusion, headteacher and Educational Psychotherapist.
She has spent the past 10 years developing Circles for Learning and has written nine books published by Routledge, including the Mental Health and Wellbeing Teachers Toolkit. Her work focuses on emotional literacy, self-awareness, relationships, the brain and the skills that support learning and wellbeing.
Book Now
Choose your session
See the available dates and times for this course below. When you've found a session that works for you, you can book your place.
Our September 2026 start dates
PA10225 - Guest Speaker; Connected Classrooms: Using Circles for Learning to Develop Positive Peer Relationships and Social Skills
Start date: 23rd September 2026
End date: 23rd September 2026
1 Session
300 Places left
£80 ex VAT
Session dates:
- Wed 23rd September 2026 - 10:00am - 12:00pm
SECURE YOUR PLACE
Fees & next steps
Course fee: £78 + VATBook your place above to secure your spot on this 2-hour CPD session for Thrive Practitioners.
This session is suitable for Thrive Licensed Practitioners working with both primary and secondary-aged pupils.
It supports your ongoing CPD requirements to maintain your Thrive Licensed Practitioner status.
