Mental Health and Wellbeing
"Pupils with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically"
"Effective social and emotional competencies are associated with greater health and wellbeing and better achievement"
2014 report (Brooks, 2014)
At Great and Little Shelford Primary School, we believe that the mental and emotional wellbeing of all members of our school community is of paramount importance in order for us to achieve our potential. We have developed Wellbeing Offers for Pupils and Staff that outline the variety of mechanisms that support wellbeing. The pupil Wellbeing Offer can be seen below.
An open culture based on mutual trust and respect permeates all aspects of school life. Pupils identify a safe network of people and are supported to feel happy and safe. They know that staff are available and willing to listen, no matter what is troubling them. This receptive approach enables us to reassure our children and deal with most issues as soon as they arise. Regular and open dialogue with our school families is a genuinely two-way process that also contributes to the emotional and mental wellbeing of our pupils. Throughout our curriculum, across the school and in whole-school assemblies, pupils have regular opportunities to learn about emotional and mental health and how to keep themselves safe in a variety of contexts, including online environments.
Our children feel respected and valued by school staff and their peers alike. This enables them to share their knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves healthy as well as any concerns they may have with accuracy and confidence in a variety of contexts. As a result of our focus on this vital aspect of the development of our children, they are able to make informed choices about healthy eating, fitness and their emotional and mental wellbeing.
Please note that our approaches to supporting and promoting mental health are embedded through a suite of policies. Most notably, in the following:
- Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy;
- Behaviour and Anti-Bullying Policy;
- Online Safety Policy.
Mental Health Lead: Mr. Chris Grey - Headteacher
Mental Health Champion:
- Mrs Victoria Fowler - Teaching Assistant
- Miss Dianne O'Bryan - Administrative Assistant
- Mrs. Kate Sheppard - Interim Deputy Headteacher
Our mental health team are involved in local Mental Health Forums and hold regular in-house Mental Health Team meetings in school.
http://www.minded.org.uk
http://www.mind.org.uk
https://youngminds.org.uk
https://www.time-to-change.org.uk
http://www.camh.org.uk
https://www.kooth.com/ (for children 10-18 years)
https://www.partnershipforchildren.org.uk Click ‘What We Do’ followed by ‘Resources for Parents’ here there is reading material and links including to books to read
https://www.annafreud.org/family-matters/child-in-mind/-podcasts
Apps-mostly free
Headspace
Stopbreathethink
Calm
The Mindfulness Training App
Smiling Mind
Mindshift
At ease
Thrive
Books-to use with children
Sitting still like a frog-also audio exercises available on line:
www.shambhala.com/sittingstilllikeafrog
The kids guide to staying awesome and in control: simple stuff to help children regulate their emotions and senses
You are Awesome -Matthew Syed
The Unworry book-Usborne books
The Huge Bag of Worries- Virginia Ironside and Frank Rodgers
Silly Billy-Anthony Browne
You’re a Rude Pig, Bertie! – Claudie Boldt
Black Dog-Levi Pinfold
My Hidden Chimp- Professor Steve Peters