Teaching assistants trained to help shy pupils

A new programme has been devised to aid the teaching of less confident pupils.

Shy children aged six and seven can now take part in special sessions to help bring them out of their shell, thanks to a scheme devised by the National Education Trust (NET), reports the BBC.

The programme involves taking the youngsters out of class for 45 minutes once a week for six weeks.

Teaching assistants are specially trained by the NET to run these sessions, which are designed to build the social and emotional development of a child.

"They may be a perfectly happy child, but if they do not have the confidence to put their hands up and ask questions they are not going to get the full benefit from all that's going on around them," trainer Angela Jackson told the news source.

According to charity YoungMinds, teachers should all be equipped with the skills to help deal with pupils who may show signs of mental health issues, it was reported this week.