the Headteacher and the leadership team therefore, the amount of time spent in schools on SEL will vary. Furthermore, the National Curriculum changed in 2013, which now allows for educational settings to deliver SEL as they see fit. Despite this, The Office for standards in Education (Ofsted) (2017) do now evaluate the effectiveness and the impact the SEL has on a child’s welfare and mental health when inspecting the setting.

This essay will essentially compare and critically evaluate selected neurological, psychological and social theories and concepts. Additionally, it will critically analyse different types of social and emotional learning resources used in setting and the effectiveness of them. Similarly, it will evaluate how they link to the wider curriculum, impact on other aspects of school life and whether they facilitate monitoring and evaluation.

An important component of SEL (social and emotional learning) is to teach the child skills and knowledge necessary to understand others, show empathy towards others, manage their own emotions and equip them so they can become valued members of society. Children spend 635 hours per year at school (Burgess, 2013) therefore, it should where educators can deliver a holistic, pupil based education; ensure all children are receiving an adequate amount of social and emotional learning.

A crucial part of SEL is to provide children with behaviours for dealing with negativity. Rodriguez (2013) expressed the opinion that negativity and the experiencing of sadness or anger is a vital part of learning and imperative to our mental health. If children are equipped to deal with positive and negative experiences and the educator acts as a role model; teaches the child how to deal with challenges (Bandura, 1977). However, in school settings today it may be seen that children are not given enough negative experiences. For example, in some settings, during sports events every child receives a certificate for taking part not just the winners therefore, never having the experience of disappointment.

Weare and Gray (2003) unveiled schools were not consistent in their teaching, many schools were not providing children with the skills they require. Moreover, Weare and Gray (2013) continued, stating they ‘believe that a higher priority should be given to the promotion of emotional and social competence and wellbeing and that there is strong evidence that (SEL) needs to start as young as possible’. Graham and Yeo (2015) support this and state ‘developing social and e