Welcome to Gemstones Education
It only takes one (disruptive child) to affect a whole school
“The behaviour of one child in our school was so bad it was affecting the moral, focus and standards of the whole school. It affected everyone to such an extent that I was seriously considering giving up teaching for good. Then Gemstones were employed to resolve the issues. As the problems were resolved I rediscovered my passion for teaching and now enjoy it more than ever.” – Teacher
It isn’t just the individual children we help! By resolving their behavioural issues we help parents, teachers, as well as all of the pupils in the school. Raising Standards and expectations at the same time as reducing precious time and the associated costs.
By resolving a child’s problems as part of their development process prevents potential costs being incurred to the wider community if left unchecked. (See the chart of Stakeholders in the welfare of our children).
We provide both Short Term and Longer Term solutions to cover all requirements.
Our Purpose
We aim to provide a range of services, for home and school, that transform the learning environments of children and young people with social, communication, emotional and mental health difficulties, so that they make a positive contribution to society.
Our Mission
“Transforming lives, promoting the highest expectations, providing inspirational and therapeutic learning environments.”
Our Vision
To provide a holistic, therapeutic and flexible evidence based service that secures improvements in the achievement of vulnerable pupils and in the emotional well-being of home and school communities.
Gemstones was founded by Eithne Leming in 2012.
Having seen how the economic climate was beginning to change the education system, Eithne foresaw the need for an independent dedicated education services company that offered a unique blend of behaviour support and therapeutic interventions with a learning focus for vulnerable and troublesome children and hence Gemstones Education was formed.
Joining Eithne in her role as Strategic Director are two other ex Headteachers: David Fox – Operations Director who handles all client liaison and oversees day to day running of the company and Sue Chesworth – Director.
Now with a staff of eight Teaching and Therapeutic Learning Consultants working across the whole Eastern region, Gemstones continues to grow and increase its work scope to support schools.
Our Services
We provide a range of therapeutic outreach services to schools (EYs settings, primary and high), pupils and their families.
Services for Schools & Teachers
We provide a wide range of bespoke Short and Long Term services designed with schools that recognise their existing strengths and the needs of their particular context. The following are some examples for commissioning our behaviour support services.
Short-term, emergency support:
- We provide support to schools, individual teachers and support staff through our work on individual cases providing, coaching or modelling of solutions and strategies for the pupil or pupils involved.
Longer Term for those looking of an on-going partnership and more strategic support:
- We provide bespoke training for groups of staff through our staff support and development sessions for teachers and support staff tailored to the school context and existing staff capabilities.
- Lesson study support for teachers and support staff to meet the needs of a group of pupils within a whole class setting
- Design of programmes such as transition or cross age tutoring to meet the needs of the context of an individual school, partnership or group of schools.
- Helpline service which can be commissioned by groups of schools to provide early intervention support to teachers and support staff based around specific cases. This can also include a follow up observation or working lunch.
- Guidance and support for establishing specialist provision such as a Nurture Group including design of a curriculum to suit the context and needs of the children.
Services for Families and Carers
Our family support programme enables us to work with the child and their issues within the family group.
Short term:
- Case work based individual parent and child sessions in school to address a range of learning and behaviour issues and improve parental involvement and engagement with the school.
Longer Term:
- Bespoke courses for groups of parents to develop parenting skills such as behaviour management, promoting learning, providing ideas for creative low cost activities for holiday periods, child and infant massage courses.
An example of a family support package is shown here:
Parent Support Group
A total of 12 hours of group work consisting of one two hour session per week over a six week period. The sessions are provided by 2 trained and experienced parent group facilitators for up to 10 parents or carers.
This Parenting Support Group focuses on:
- Emotional well being for child and parents.
- Child development.
- Effective communication within the family.
- Setting limits and boundaries.
- Roles and responsibilities within the home and children’s services.
- Communication skills for working with staff from schools and social care.
Example of a session – Communication Skills
- Welcome and Introductions.
- Domestics and Group boundaries.
- Communication – how do children/adults communicate?
- Input communication pie chart.
- Is what we see/hear of our children the reality or our perception of the situation – use optical illusion slides to illustrate the point.
- VAK exercise – do you and your child match ~ if not strategies to help you enhance your communication with your child.
- Aggressive/passive/assertive communication styles – what might be your child’s past experience of communication – how might they feel living with a parent who communicates in a different style?
- I and you communication exercise.
- Do and don’t communication exercise.
- Additional communication tools.
- Metaphor stories.
- Broken record technique.
- Visual communication techniques.
- Allowing ‘take up time’.
Outcomes
- Improved communication between parent and child, or parent and school.
- Improved strategies and skills for managing behaviour.
Outputs
- Bespoke resources for home to support positive management of behaviour and development of skills.
Services for Children and Young People
We address a range of issues either on an individual or whole group or class basis, longer or short term such as: overcoming school phobia and a range of other anxiety related issues including attachment disorders, low mood, poor self belief & self efficacy, low self esteem and confidence as a learner, managing negative feelings & aggression.
Short term:
Our case-work based services provide bespoke or tailored programmes customised to suit the individual needs of the child or young person and the capabilities of the staff. These often run for 6 weeks at a time. We provide:
- Individual or small group therapeutic sessions such as play or drama, with target children or young people to develop self help skills and tailored behaviour management solutions.
- Bridging activities into the classroom so they can be coached in applying what has been learned in individual therapy sessions to avoid dependency being created in the young person or child.
- Parent and child sessions to tackle issues that have an impact on learning
- Feedback to school staff including observations of problem behaviour and strategies that work and ideas for pupil targets, resources and practical solutions.
Longer term:
- Cross age tutor or volunteer training for young people,
- Transition or nurture group projects,
- Tailored therapeutic LAC provision often using pupil premium funding, which has a different termly or half termly focus including some family work.
Case Study Example – School Refusal and Anxiety
Background to Referral
Katherine is in year 9 and when she started High School was a high achiever having gained level 5 in Maths English and Science in KS2 SATs. Reports from her teachers at Primary and High schools indicate her potential, but also that she is quiet, reserved and some note a lack of confidence despite her abilities. Katherine forms friendships, but these tend to be within a small select group.
Towards the end of year 8 there were some family problems, which included relationship breakdown, a house move and a new partner for her mother moving into the family house.
At the beginning of Yr.9 attendance started to become sporadic and some teachers began reporting that Katherine was becoming increasingly withdrawn, unhappy, socially isolated and nervous or anxious. Katherine’s school work also began to show a significant decline in standards of work and lack of progress in all subjects.
The head of year contacted Katherine’s mother and after a number of meetings identified that Katherine was unhappy at home, was missing her father and relationships with her mother and her mother’s partner were becoming increasingly strained. Katherine was experiencing panic attacks at school and the fear was that she was becoming school phobic.
Education Welfare Service was contacted and provided advice to the school about attendance monitoring. The school put in place a number of support strategies, as part of School Action Plus plan, which was agreed with the parents and with Katherine. Although attendance improved the panic attacks and deep anxiety about the deterioration in her school work were significantly impairing her progress at school. Katherine felt a failure and started to become a failing student.
A CAF form was completed and at the meeting, counselling sessions were to be provided and the school nurse was consulted which lead to a referral to the school medical officer. A local voluntary service was contracted to provide family support services for the mother, which included an introductory home visit and a course for parents of teenagers.
Problems continued and so six months later a referral was made to GEMSTONES using the standard CAF form. Katherine’s mother wanted help for her daughter at school and whilst the support she had received had given her some useful tips there was nothing suggested that had made a difference with managing Katherine’s anxieties, reluctance to attend school and her confidence levels about her ability as a learner.
The school medical officer had not identified any medical issues relating to physical health but felt that depression was a factor. She thought that treatment for depression in the form of anti-depressants would be an option, however Katherine’s mother and Katherine herself rejected this suggestion at this stage.
Following referral to GEMSTONES and the consultation meeting with the school as the referring agency, the following was identified and formed the framework for the contract.
Difficulties
- Anxiety, including panic attacks and developing risk of developing severe school phobia.
- Lack of progress and falling levels of attainment in learning.
- Risk of becoming NEET (Not in education, training or employment).
- Increasing social isolation due to sporadic attendance and falling levels of confidence.
Desired Outcomes
- Regular attendance.
- Reduction/elimination of panic attacks.
- Improved progress and levels of attainment.
- Improved levels of self confidence and stronger/regained relationships with friends.
Service Plan
GEMSTONES Input
- Three one to one sessions for developing self managed control strategies for phobias and anxiety.
- Training for learning mentor – e.g. therapeutic stories and use of language to support positive thinking and calm states for pupils.
- Family session – to provide input about communication techniques for encouraging calm states and positive thinking in young people.
- Staff Support and Professional Development session based around the case for all members of staff with responsibility for Katherine.
School Input
- Special registration arrangements including a one to one session with the learning mentor.
- A system of communication with home via text messaging regarding pupil absence.
- Opportunities for Katherine to talk during the school day to a learning mentor and the head of year.
- Opportunity for Katherine to receive training in peer mentoring or mediation scheme with a view to becoming part of the school’s student support services.
After meetings with both Katherine and her parents the following were added to the plan:
- Study support twice a week at lunchtime for mathematics to help her regain confidence in this area of her studies.
- An identified friend to be invited to attend the training in peer mentoring or mediation to support Katherine.
- Clarification of arrangements for Katherine to have regular communication and contact with her father.
- Clarification of arrangements for home-school communication to include both parents in review of progress with the proposed intervention plan.
Outcomes
- Katherine reported increased levels of confidence. (Increase from ratingof 3 to 8 on a 10 point scale).
- She reports more confidence with peers and is using some of the skills learnt with a younger pupil in the peer mentoring scheme who has low self-esteem.
- Control of anxiety and panic attacks – Katherine reported that the strategies she has been taught have helped reduce these. She reports increased levels of calm and control in difficult situations.
- Attendance has improved and is now no longer a cause for concern.
- Katherine is much more positive about her abilities as a learner. (Increase from rating of 4 to 8 on a 10 point scale).
- As a result staff are pleased with her progress and levels of attainment, whilst still showing underachievement are much improved.
- Mother and daughter report improvement in the relationship.
- Staff training and support (ie Staff Support and Development Session and training for Learning Mentor) rated as either very effective or effective by all participants.
- Staff also report that Katherine is less socially isolated and has successfully completed training for peer mentoring scheme.

Schools
We provide help to schools and individual teachers through our Solution focused staff support and development sessions.
These consist of elements such as:
- Assessment – (Boxall Profile and CAF Strands) and Solution Action Planning Session
- Guidance for establishing a Nurture Group or Special Class in Mainstream Cluster Setting
- Cross Age Tutoring

Children and Young People
We directly help and support children through a variety of programes customised to suit their individual problems, needs and requirements.
Through both Short Term and Longer Term solutions, we tackle issues such as:
- Low Self Esteem and Confidence as a Learner
- School Phobia and Anxiety
- Negative Feelings and Aggresssion

Families and Carers
Our family support programme enables us to work with the child and their issues within the family group.
Through both Short Term and Longer Term solutions, we are able to assist in such areas as:
- Young Child with Eating/Feeding Difficulties
- Parental Engagement
- Individual Family Play and Support
What Makes Us Unique
Gemstones is ideally equipped to provide COMPREHENSIVE and BESPOKE services that help you improve.
We work at successive levels of school operations from:
- The provision of mentoring and coaching to senior leaders
- Training and consultancy for governors or Academy Trust Board members, to whole staff training and development
- DIRECT WORK with PARENTS
- INDIVIDUAL PUPIL level including written reports provided within 24 HOURS
We combine therapeutic interventions for a range of social, emotional and mental health difficulties, that are TRIED AND TESTED in education settings, with a focus on improved learning outcomes and STAFF WELL-BEING.
We provide consultancy, training, curriculum support and assessment of attachment disorders developed from our EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE and practice with vulnerable children including looked after children (LAC) and their families.
We have a track record in developing INNOVATIVE CURRICULA combining these therapeutic elements within a framework containing national curriculum expectations for learning.
Evaluations of our services according to the outcomes our clients want are provided as standard so that you can demonstrate VALUE FOR MONEY.
Parent/Carer and Family Services Designed for you and your child
Are you looking for support for your son or daughter?
We provide a range of personalised services for parents who wish to commission us directly. We work in the family home, or in school by arrangement.
How does it work?
- Just contact us directly and we will set an appointment to meet with you. (Phone Eithne on 07920460033 or David on 07787 931242 or email if you prefer: Eithne@gemstones-education.com, David@gemstones-education.com)
- We have an informal chat and will ask you what you want to achieve from our input and from this, plan with you how many sessions you want and how we will work to achieve these goals.
- We agree a plan to suit you and can work with your child, with you or with the whole family.
What issues do we cover?
Here are some examples of work parents or carers have asked us to help with:
- Overcoming behaviour problems in school such as low level disruption
- Negative attitudes towards learning including low self esteem and confidence in learning
- Managing anxiety (withdrawal or acting out behaviours)
- Negative body image or coming to terms with trans-gender issues
- Eating or feeding problems,
- Strategies for overcoming self harm
- School phobia
- Developing social and co-operative play skills to help with friendships
- Effective parent child communication such as: setting boundaries; establishing incentives for positive behaviour; and coaching for achieving effective compliance
- Managing sibling rivalry
- Bedtime / morning routines
Parent comments about Gemstones:
“O now gets up and gets dressed most mornings independently, gets out of the car independently and comes into school on his own.”
“I know on a Gemstones day and the day after, D will attend school and I will not have any phone calls or negative comments on his report card. He has improved such a lot already after only a few sessions.”
“L is accessing lessons and is much happier at home. She understands she needs to try hard at school to achieve her dreams and she is much more confident.”
“J seems so much happier and realises we are on his side now. We are working together as a family rather than against each other.
School Improvement Services
We provide a range of training for governors and trustees.
All Gemstones Directors are ex Headteachers and have also acted as School Governors for both mainstream and special schools.
Our one-on-one policy and practice training is aimed to raise the awareness and knowledge of statutory duties and how to meet these requirements.
We have particular expertise regarding parental engagement and have contributed to many national organisation publications.
Our longer term solutions provide:
- Coaching for school leaders in the management of achievement for vulnerable groups; and
- Leadership of personal development, behaviour and welfare
- Managing parental complaints
- Engaging difficult to reach parents
- Setting up a parent forum
We provide specialist training on the following subjects:
- SEND Statutory Requirements for Governors
- Meeting the Equalities Act Duties
- Looked After Children
- Managing Exclusions
Therapeutic Approaches
- We have our own therapeutic curriculum offer; and
- Our 1:1 coaching session toolkit includes:
- Play therapy, drawing and creative arts therapy,
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- Nurture and Attachment Therapy,
- We also draw upon positive psychology, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy,
- Emotional Freedom Technique (which includes Eye movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing),
- Kinesiology
- Therapeutic story work,
- Timeline therapy,
- Family therapy

What Makes Us Unique

Training Courses

Associate Training Programme

Parent Services

School Improvement Services

Therapeutic Approaches
Partner Schools
We are proud to have worked with the following schools (Sept 2012 – Sept 2018)
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Essex and LB of Waltham Forest
● Chingford CofE Primary ● Chingford Foundation, (High School) ● Feering CofE Primary, Essex ● Hillyfield Primary Walthamstow ● Parkside Primary Walthamstow ● St Andrew Primary Halstead ● Whitehall Primary Chingford
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Norfolk
● Admirals Primary Academy Thetford ● Ashill Primary Thetford ● Bishops Primary Thetford ● Carbrooke Primary ● Drake Primary Thetford ● Norwich Road Primary Academy Thetford ● Queensway Primary Thetford ● Raleigh Primary Thetford ● Redcastle Primary Thetford ● Thorndon
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Ely, Cambridgeshire
● Ely College ● St Johns Primary Ely ● St Marys Primary Ely ● Downham Foeffees Primary Ely ● Lantern Primary Ely ● Millfield Primary Ely
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Suffolk
● Britannia Primary ● Castle Hill Inants ● Castle Hill Jnr ● Causton Jnr ● Colneis Jnr ● Dennington Primary ● Eyke Primary ● Fairfield Infants ● Gorseland Primary ● Grange Primary ● Grundisburgh ● Primary Hollesley Primary ● Ipswich Academy (High School) ● Kingsfleet Primary ● Lawshall Primary ● Maidstone Infants ● Melton Primary ● Middleton Primary ● Murrayfield Primary ● Otley Primary ● Ravenswood Primary ● ● Trimly St Mary Primary ● Sidegate Primary ● Sprites Jnr ● Springfield Jnr ● St Helens Primary ● Trimley St Martin Primary ● Waldringfield Primary ● Whitehouse Primary ● Witnesham Primary ● Yoxford Primary

MEET OUR TEAM
Gemstones Education staff are a group of teachers and trained therapeutic staff, with many years of experience between us of working in a range of schools, both mainstream and special, with children and young people from the ages of 3 – 19 years.



What Our Clients Say…
Thank You!
“Your support has enabled my staff to manage and teach this child better and has prevented an exclusion—thank you!”
A positive input to staff!
“Big improvement in self-confidence of staff when supporting this child. A positive input to staff has been much appreciated”
We Applaud Them
“We applaud the outstanding planning, organization, co-ordination and execution of their service”
My Saddness Has Gone Away
“The sun is out and my sadness has gone away. I don’t want to be angry anymore”
Gemstone cannot be compared to any other behaviour support service we have experienced.
The service provided by Gemstone’s cannot be compared to any other behaviour support service we have experienced. Gemstones provide a bespoke service of support to individual pupils who we identify as our most challenging pupils. Currently they support two pupils in our school for a 3 hour session each week and also work with the families. Children’s behaviour is usually a symptom of wider family issues so the holistic support that Gemstones provide for the family creates a greater and long lasting impact on the child’s behaviour and emotional health.
The staff are highly qualified and experienced, giving a level of assurance in their competence that is unparalleled. We receive a comprehensive report within 24 hours and typically that evening, outlining the detail and outcomes of the therapeutic session along with a range of strategies for the teacher or SENCo to apply, which means we can take any further action with immediate effect. Gemstones work very closely with us and we value this working relationship. I cannot recommend Gemstone’s highly enough.
Gemstones is a highly professional and knowledgeable service.
Gemstones is a highly professional and knowledgeable service which has proved to be consistently adaptable and supportive to both the needs of the children and the school.
It Makes a Real Difference!
Our work with Gemstones is in many ways some of the most significant work that we do in the school. Through their consistency, flexibility and thoroughly knowledgeable approach we have been able to prevent exclusions, reach out to families who we couldn’t engage with and ensure that the mental health of our most vulnerable children was being nurtured. The work that gemstones have done with our pupils and their families is a thing that the parents involved stop me on the street to say thank you for, it makes a real difference.
I have learnt so much from Gemstones
“I have learnt so much from Gemstones staff and have felt really supported as well as the pupil who did so well thanks to your help.”
The reputation of Gemstones has grown amongst families
“The support from Gemstones has been most successful when the work involves parents and they are fully engaged. The reputation of Gemstones has grown amongst families.”
In the classroom there have been no outbursts.
In the classroom there have been no outbursts. He can work independently when he’s focused & his writing is age expected. Using the Boxall to identify needs & strategies has been useful & supporting staff to create personalised timetable.
There has been a whole week clear of violence.
Arrangements have been good, strategies have been helpful & different. There has been a whole week clear of violence.
He Smiles
He is now beginning to show humour, he smiles & shares emotions on an individual level & parents are engaging.
G shows empathy now
“G shows empathy now. She can regulate her emotions and her behaviour towards peers is now age expected.”
Everyone is happier now
A is enjoying life more and more, your specialist care has transformed her friendships and quality of life both at home and school.
A loves the meditations so much they have become a positive force in our home. Interestingly, she likes to read them to herself sometimes and also read the ‘Cloud of Calm’ to me after a tough day… It worked!
Bedtime has been transformed with your suggested family meeting about it all. Everyone is happier now, especially A.
I’m sure we will access Gemstones again as she develops, and we hope to see you again.
If I get angry I know what to do
AB is looking forward to Y6 and told me he has enjoyed our sessions and they have helped him ‘learn to control my anger. He said “If I get angry I know what to do. It’s been good spending time with you”.’
Having the feedback so quickly has been great!
“The support received from Gemstones has helped the school to consider a review of their provision for some children. Having the feedback so quickly has been great!”
The arrangements and support have worked well
“The arrangements and support have worked well. The feedbacks and strategies have been very useful with the strategies working well for the whole class.”
The support has been perfect
The support has been perfect; timings have worked well, with flexibility meaning that no sessions have been missed. Feedbacks have been really good, with such a good time turn-around. Some very useful strategies/suggestions which have been acted on by the class teacher.
The support process has been very useful
“The support process has been very useful, focussing needs and strategies using the Boxall profile. Arrangements have worked well and feedbacks have been received the same day. Supporting staff to create a personalised timetable has been extremely helpful..”