What we do to support mental health
- A tailored Personal Development Learning programme to ensure children are taught about their mental health and wellbeing. A whole school approach with progression of skills across the key stage. This supports the children to develop emotional literacy, gain an understanding of how to support their physical and mental health and regulate their emotions.
- A mental health lead across the federation.
- A celebration of key events throughout the year to promote positive mental health and provide opportunities for children to discuss strategies they use to support their mental health. By celebrating key events, we aim to reduce the stigma that surrounds mental health and encourage an openness to talk.
- The Daily Mile is part of our whole school routine and encourages children to see exercise as a part of their daily lives. Physical health is proven to support mental health.
- Learning behaviours that develop life skills: Independence and resilience, self-awareness, thinking skills and collaboration and relationships. These are celebrated weekly in collective workship and through our text's home.
- Worry boxes in each classroom. These provide children with an opportunity to share anything they may be feeling or share with someone any support they may need.
- External visitors to discuss key topics such as mental health and self-esteem. These visitors have already seen excellent engagement from the children and their honesty and openness has been praised by our local mental health support team.
- Parenting workshops with our family support workers and the local mental health support team. These are facilitated as another way to ensure we are working collaboratively to ensure the best outcomes for the child and provides support for all with key issues that children and families may face.
- Stormbreak - our whole school approach to support mental health through movement. This has been implemented this school year and already, the children are more confident when sharing how they feel and have embraced stormbreak as part of their daily routine.
- A theraputic layered approach tailored to individual needs which can include internal counselling, Elsa our therapy dog, lego therapy, draw and talk and TALA (theraputic active listening).
