Our Wellbeing and Mental Health Vision
We are committed to promoting positive wellbeing and mental health throughout our school community.
We understand the importance of wellbeing and mental health and the role it plays in creating an environment where all are healthy, happy and achieve their best.
We listen, support and respond to the views of our community and provide opportunities to equip all with the tools needed to maintain positive well-being​ and mental health.
Whole School Culture
The mental health and wellbeing of our school community (pupils, parents and staff) is fundamental to our school philosophy and ethos. This ethos is to value everybody and to care for each other and in so doing, we have managed to secure a culture of alert awareness and sensitive to everyone’s needs. We strongly believe that these factors are key in achieving excellence in all that we do and in so doing, we can maximise opportunities and achievements for all.
We believe that mental health is the responsibility of all. We too recognise that anyone one can suffer from mental health and wellbeing issues at any one point in their lives. So we have implemented a range of strategies to support the wellbeing of all, not excluding signposting and referring to external services.
At Watton at Stone Primary School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.
At our school we:
- help children to understand their emotions and feelings better
- help children feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- help children socially to form and maintain relationships
- promote self esteem and ensure children know that they count
- encourage children to be confident and ‘dare to be different’
- help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
We offer different levels of support:
Universal Support- To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance developing resilience for all.
Additional support- For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement.
Targeted support- For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as wellbeing groups or personal mentors.
Lead staff members: Nikki Etienne, Andrea Hawkins, Anita Ramirez, Jan Bell, Terri Knott, Sally Stevens
Pupil Wellbeing aims:
- Equip children to recognise and name their emotions and with the strategies to manage them
- Ensure positive relationships between children and adults throughout the school
- Have a designated wellbeing team that works to improve the pupil offer in school
- Train staff to consistently build knowledge and skills and to improve practice. Training includes attachment and trauma, mental health awareness, restorative practice, nurture and positive language
- Provide opportunities for student voice to be heard through pupil parliament meetings and class feedback
- Designated Nurture support member of staff who supports individuals and groups of children.
- Offer personalised wellbeing sessions tailored for pupil need
- Referrals to CAMHS/Behaviour Support and Other external services as needed
Staff Wellbeing aims:
- Have a designated wellbeing team that works to improve the staff offer in school
- Promote wellbeing awareness through training, communication and information
- Develop positive, supportive relationships through staffing structure and strong teams
- Provide a comprehensive induction programme to support new staff
- Off site Planning and lesson preparation time
- Provide a robust CPD offer across all staff teams
Family Wellbeing aims:
- Open door policy to talk to staff regarding their children
- Access to Family Support Workers who can support parents in person or virtually
- Build positive relationships with families and carers
- Family workshops / training e.g. phonics
- Continued good communication between school and families
- Provide a welcoming environment
- The school ethos values families and carers
Please click on link below for our wellbeing booklet.
Useful links
https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
A public health England and NHS site to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.
https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/
Quality-assured information, advice and resources to help primary schools understand and promote children’s mental health and wellbeing.
Also below are some of the links shared at our last wellbeing and anxiety family forums.