Anniversaries and events

Be aware that there may be certain times of the year or events in the school calendar that a grieving pupil may find particularly difficult to manage. Possible triggers include:

  • Anniversaries
  • Mother’s Day/Father’s Day
  • World events such as the Manchester bombing, the Grenfell fire and their anniversaries
  • Parents’ evening
  • The school prom
  • Particular curriculum topics

Any of these events (and many others) could act as a trigger for a bereaved pupil and bring up strong feelings about a previous loss.

Make sure that anniversaries specific to that pupil are recorded and communicated. For example, the date of the death, the date of the funeral (especially if other pupils attended), the birthday of the person who died, etc.

  • Curriculum issues - You need to be aware that many lessons refer to the lifecycle, death and dying, biological and cultural aspects of death, and to consider the impact this may have on a bereaved pupil.

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