Mental Health and Well-being

Mental Health and Well-being

In an ever changing world, positive physical and mental health is key to everyone’s well-being and quality of life.  It allows us to respond effectively to the challenges that daily life bring.  Children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and impacts on their learning and achievement.

 

  Aims and Objectives

 

  • To have a whole school approach to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing within a culture of high expectations and support.
  • To ensure that, through the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing, our children are helped to understand and express their feelings, build their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their capacity to learn.
  • To have a committed staff team that sets a whole school culture of positive mental health and wellbeing, ensuring that children feel safe and listened to.
  • To increase the awareness and understanding and reduce stigma amongst children, staff and our wider community of issues involving the mental health and wellbeing of young people and to provide support at an early stage to any child who is or appears to be suffering from mental health issues.
  • To ensure that, embedded within our curriculum, we are enabling our children to become healthy, independent, responsible and confident members of society.  Children will understand how they are developing personally and socially and many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up will be tackled.  They will be provided with opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities and to appreciate what it means to live and thrive as part of a diverse society.

 

Intent

At Charlton Mackrell Primary School we aim to help develop the protective factors which build resilience to mental health problems and to be a school where:

  • All children are valued.
  • Children have a sense of belonging and feel safe.
  • Children feel able to talk openly with trusted adults about their problems without feeling any stigma.
  • Positive mental health is promoted and valued.
  • Bullying is not tolerated.

 

Implementation

Charlton Mackrell is a place where children experience a nurturing and supportive environment that can develop self-esteem and give positive experiences to help overcome adversity and build resilience. We offer positive role models and relationships, so critical in promoting children’s wellbeing. This helps create a sense of belonging and community.

We will provide opportunities through our PSHE curriculum, work in circle time, ELSA sessions, visiting speakers and agencies, forest school and Lego club for all children learn the strategies to stay mentally healthy; how worries and stress can affect their mental health; develop understanding and empathy of those with mental health issues, and knowledge of where or who they can go to if they need help and support;
Impact

Our role in school is to make sure that our children are able to manage times of change and stress. The impact of the learning and support provided in school will ensure that children know:

  • What they can do to maintain positive mental health;
  • What affects their mental health;
  • How they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues;
  • Where or who they can go to if they need help and support.

SEND Information Report

Forest School

Forest School sessions take place at Hallr Wood, which is a short walk from the school, and are run by a qualified leader and other school staff.

Research shows that Forest School is beneficial to students in many ways. The opportunity to be immersed in the natural world can bring a sense of calm and helps to focus the mind, and an awareness of the importance of the world at large.

The environment is ever changing which can be inspiring but also, mentally and physically challenging. The children learn to accept that things don't always go to plan, and they need to rethink their strategies to succeed. The staff work closely with the children to gain a greater understanding of their individual interests and learning styles. Showing a respect for this uniqueness is acknowledged by the children, and builds a trust that helps us to plan experiences to extend on their desires to learn and thrive. Often children find that they can make the impossible happen if they work together to overcome challenges. Working with their peers develops an awareness of the needs of others and through combined thinking new skills are learnt. When goals are met children take great delight in their achievements, also acknowledging and praising others for their efforts.

Forest School can embed important life skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and emotional intelligence, along with empathy and respect for others. Having these in ones armour will boost self-confidence and will also give resilience when facing life's challenges.