Play Therapy at Pocklington Prep School
During mental health week, our thoughts turn to the support that we offer in school. 
In 2022, The Good Childhood Report showed that children’s happiness was in decline. In 2023, The Mental Health of Children and Young People in England Report (NHS) found that one in eight children aged 8 to 25 had a probable mental health disorder. It was against this backdrop of increasing (and upsetting) knowledge that the Prep School decided to invest in an alternative mental health provision: a Play Therapist. This gentle provision ensures that children have the space to talk, parents develop their understanding and teachers know how best to support.
For a few years now our play therapist, Nicky Hamlet-Harris, has visited once a week to deliver play therapy sessions across all ages of the Prep School. Her work has been transformational not only to the lives of children she has supported with but to the staff and parents she has worked alongside.
Our beautiful Zen Den provides a dedicated space where Nicky sets up her play therapy toolkit each week. This includes a wide range of resources such as arts and crafts, sand and clay activities, construction materials, role-play items, musical instruments, therapeutic stories, sensory materials, miniatures, and more. We are fortunate to have a light, spacious, and calming environment for sessions to take place, but that doesn’t stop sessions happening outside to allow children to benefit from our wonderful outdoor setting.
One standout set of sessions, bespoke to our Prep School, are the Year 6 transition play therapy groups during the summer term. These groups support pupils who may need extra help with the transition to Senior School. During this time, Nicky works closely with the Senior School pastoral team, who join the final session to help pupils become familiar with key support staff.
Despite the busy nature of working in a school, Nicky meets weekly with pastoral and learning support staff to ensure communication is up to date and that pupils receive the best possible wraparound support. Parents are a key part of the therapeutic process, and Nicky meets with them regularly to share updates on their child’s progress. At the conclusion of therapy, parents and the school receive a detailed end-of-therapy report outlining key findings and strategies for ongoing support.
Play Therapy has transformed our provision and ensured that both staff and parents understand the challenges our young people face. But, additionally and most importantly, that challenges are there to be overcome. Whilst the facts and figures provided by various reports feel incredibly depressing, the picture in the Prep School is a different one. We work hard to ensure the happiness of our children and we are patient in our approach.
What is Play Therapy?
Play therapy is a form of therapy primarily used with children to help them express their emotions, resolve psychological issues, and improve their behaviour through play. Here are the key points:
- Therapeutic Approach: Play therapy leverages the natural medium of play to help children communicate their feelings, thoughts, and experiences. It is grounded in the understanding that play is a child's language and toys are their words.
- Target Audience: It is most commonly used with children aged 3 to 12, but it can also be adapted for older adolescents and even adults in certain contexts.
- Types of Play Therapy:
- Non-Directive (Child-Centered) Play Therapy: In this approach, the child leads the play, and the therapist follows, providing a safe, accepting, and non-judgmental environment
- Directive Play Therapy: The therapist takes a more active role, guiding the play to address specific issues or goals.
- Benefits: Play therapy helps children:
- Express emotions they might not have the words for
- Develop problem-solving skills
- Improve social skills
- Process traumatic experiences
- Build self-esteem
- Reduce anxiety and depression
- Techniques and Tools: Therapists use a variety of toys and activities, such as dolls, action figures, art supplies, sand trays, and games, to facilitate expression and therapeutic progress.
- Applications: It is used to support a wide range of needs, including behavioural challenges, anxiety, depression, ADHD, Autism, trauma, grief, and family concerns.
By engaging in play therapy, children can work through emotional and psychological challenges in a manner that feels natural and supportive to their developmental stage.
If you would like to learn more about our play therapy provision or want to see Pocklington Prep School in action, please join us for an individual visit or Open Day.
