Mental Health and Well-being

Senior Mental Health Lead : Mrs Sue Ward

At Newton Burgoland 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.

Our headteacher is our mental health lead.

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, no matter what
Encourage children to be confident and ‘dare to be different’
Help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks - making mistakes is a part of life, and it is what we do with mistakes that counts. We forgive and we forget.
Help children to understand people identify differently and that however we identify it is 'OK'
Reject 'hate' and focus on ensuring children have the knowledge they need to be kind and caring to all.

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.

Children's Mental health Week 2022

Growing Together

Children's Mental Health Week takes place 7-13 February 2022. The theme of Growing Together encourages children (and adults) to consider how they have grown, and how they can help others to grow.

Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal emotion and we all experience it from time to time. it is only aporblem if it gets in the way of us living a happy and fulfilled life

Normalising anxiety

Firstly, it’s important for adults to normalise anxiety with children. When adults talk openly about their own anxious experiences whilst encouraging children to do the same, it builds emotional literacy, resilience, self-esteem and much more!

We can reduce the stigma around metal health when we let young people know that it is ok not to be ok. The important thing is to develop self-regulation tools to manage difficult feelings.

Worry Time

This is a regular time slot for a young person to talk, write or draw what’s on their mind with a trusted non-judgemental adult. This can be an effective way of encouraging children to face their fears whilst getting any anxious thoughts and feelings off their chest. This does not have to be problem-solving activity; it can simply be a process of listening and creating a safe space for the young person to release the anxious thoughts and feelings weighing them down.

For more guidance, take a look at this resource from Sheffield Hallam University on how to set up worry time.

STOPP technique

Stop step back and focus on something else

Take a breath use the 5 finger breathing technique

Observe

What am I actually reacting to?
What thoughts are going through my mind right now?
What sensations do I notice in my body?
What else do I notice right here and now?

Pull back

Is there another way of looking at this?
What are the facts?
What advice would I give to a friend in this situation?

Proceed – practise what works

Where can I focus my attention right now?
What is the helpful for me to do now?
How can I move forward and learn from this?

Finger Breathing – a great way for children to trace around their hands in sync with their breathing.

Image taken from The Calming Corner

For step by step guidance on how to do five finger breathing, take a look at Dr Pooky Knightsmith's video .

Anxiety Guide for parents and carers

Promoting resilience

Newton Burgoland Primary School is an accredited Routes to Resilience school.

We are not defined by our mistakes, our mistakes make us human and give us an opportunity to grow and learn.

Celebrate when learning is hard or life is hard because you are growing stronger every time you persevere.

'Bank' good moments to use when times are hard.

Supporting Well-being Guide

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