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The Social World: Friendship Groups for Year 6 Girls in West Sussex Schools

A six-week, CBT-informed small-group programme helping girls handle friendships with confidence before secondary school.

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In my private practice I see many girls in Years 7, 8, 9 and beyond who are struggling with friendships: feeling left out, overthinking group chats and worrying about where they stand. The Social World is my preventative answer. It equips Year 6 girls with practical skills before the move to secondary school, covering friendships online and offline.

Groups of 4 to 6 girls meet in school once a week for six weeks, for 45 to 60 minutes. Sessions are discussion-based and relationship-led, built around six simple steps: Notice, Check, Control, Choose, Act and Put Down. We can't prevent every friendship difficulty, but we can help girls handle them.

Girls learn to:

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• Notice their "Social Alarm" and pause before reacting

• Separate what they actually know from the story their brain is telling them

• Focus on what is theirs to control, guided by their own values

• Ask "Am I solving this, or adding oxygen to the Spark?"

• Understand that friendly doesn't automatically mean trusted

• Recognise when something has been dealt with, and put it down

Schools interested in running The Social World can contact me on 07887 426995 or samantha@childandteentherapywestsussex.co.uk.

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Signs a girl may be struggling with friendships

Friendship problems in Year 6 are not always loud. A girl might be quietly left out at break, overthink every message in a group chat, or keep asking "Are we still friends?" Some girls fall out and make up again and again. Others stop putting their hand up, don't want to come to school, or come home upset about something "small" that feels huge to them. Low-level social exclusion and unkind group dynamics, sometimes called relational aggression, can be hard for adults to spot and hard for girls to name.

How schools use The Social World

Schools usually run The Social World in the summer or spring term of Year 6, as preparation for the move to Year 7. Heads, pastoral leads and SENCOs pick 4 to 6 girls. This might be a group that keeps falling out, or girls who would benefit from extra confidence before secondary school. I deliver the sessions in school, so staff time is limited to helping with timetabling. It sits alongside your PSHE and pastoral provision rather than replacing it.

Questions schools ask

Who is the programme for?

Year 6 girls, in groups of 4 to 6. It is preventative, so girls don't need a diagnosis or referral.

How long does it take?

Six weekly sessions of 45 to 60 minutes, held in school.

Is it therapy?

No. It is a CBT-informed skills group led by a qualified child and teen CBT therapist. It is not individual therapy.

Does it cover online friendships?

Yes. Group chats and online friendships are covered alongside friendships in person.

Which areas do you cover?

Schools across West Sussex and nearby parts of Sussex. Please get in touch to check.