Mental Health & Emotional Wellbeing

At Leyland St James' CE Primary School, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that the school is a community where everyone feels able to thrive. Our school ethos and values underpin everything that we do.

Who has mental health?

We all have mental health – some people call this emotional health or wellbeing.

What is mental health?

The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act.

Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.

Most children grow up mentally healthy, but surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago. It is thought that this is probably because of changes in the way that we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up.

What helps?

Things that can help keep children and young people mentally well include:

• being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise
• having time and the freedom to play, indoors and outdoors
• being part of a family that gets along well most of the time
• going to a school that looks after the wellbeing of all its pupils
• taking part in local activities for young people.

Other factors are also important, including:

• feeling loved, trusted, understood, valued and safe
• being interested in life and having opportunities to enjoy themselves
• being hopeful and optimistic
• being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed
• accepting who they are and recognising what they are good at
• having a sense of belonging in their family, school and community
• feeling they have some control over their own life
• having the strength to cope when something is wrong (resilience) and the ability to solve problems.

What happens in school?

At Leyland St James C of E Primary School, we aim to promote positive mental health for every member of our school community (children, staff, parents, carers and stakeholders). We recognise how important mental health and wellbeing is in our lives, and that it is equally important as physical health. Mental health is a critical part of a child’s wellbeing, and we recognise that poor mental health can adversely affect a child’s learning and progress. Our whole school values are at the root of all we do in school, and we use these positively to promote good mental health and wellbeing for all of our community. In addition to promoting positive mental health, we aim to recognise and respond to mental ill health.

By making our school mentally healthy, we strive to ensure a nurturing, welcoming and supportive environment, where all children can build on their potential, no matter their life experiences. In an average classroom, three children will be suffering from a diagnosable mental health issue. By developing and implementing practical, relevant and effective mental health policies and procedures, we can promote a safe and stable environment for our pupils: those who are affected both directly and indirectly by mental ill health. We aim to provide a safe, healthy and fun place for all our community to be. We want to ensure we help children deal with their own mental health, support others who may be suffering from poor mental health, and understand what they can do in order to have a positive mind-set.

Wellbeing Warriors meet throughout the term to help develop and support the mental health and wellbeing of other pupils in school. The Wellbeing Warrirors are pupils from our Year 5 and 6 class - see more information here - https://www.leyland-st-james.lancs.sch.uk/student-council/wellbeing-warriors

Programmes

Kooth

Kooth offers young people a range and choice of support options under one digital roof.

It has services that are accessible 7 days a week, 365 days a year. This includes one to one text based sessions with experienced counsellors and wellbeing practitioners run from midday to 10pm on weekdays, and from 6 -10pm at the weekend. The Kooth team visit school each year to support the wellbeing of our Year 6 children as they prepare for SATS and their transition to secondary school.

Bounce Forward

In school, we teach children about what it means to have good mental health and wellbeing throughout our curriculum and daily practice.  Year 5 and Year 6 pupils complete a term working with Mental Health Specialist through 'Bounce Forward'. Becoming more self-aware of positive mental health and how to look after our mind and body. 

SCARF Training - Parents and Children

As part of our PSHE curriculum, the SCARF team visit schools annually to complete mental health and wellbeing support to children and parents. Furthermore, they educate parents on what school offers through the SCARF programme.

Our PSHE curriculum focuses specifically on developing children’s social and emotional skills which can prevent poor mental health from developing and help all children cope effectively with setbacks and remain healthy. It is about helping children to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour and build skills that help them to thrive, such as working in a team, persistence, and self-awareness.

Residentials

There are two residential visits in Year 5 and Year 6 – the purpose of each visit is for all children to be involved in team building exercises, bond with their peers and to further develop resilience. Year 5 visit Hothersall Lodge for 1 night each academic year https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/outdooreducation/our-centres/hothersall-lodge and Year 6 spend 3 days at Winmarleigh Hall https://adventureholidays.pgl.co.uk/camps/winmarleigh-hall/ 

What if my child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing?

Mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time and neither does it mean avoiding stresses altogether. One of the most important ways to help your child is to listen to them and take their feelings seriously.

In many instances, children and young people’s negative feelings and worries usually pass with the support of their parents and families. It is helpful for the school to know what they are going through at these times, so that staff can be aware of the need and support this.

Coping and adjusting to setbacks are critical life skills for children, just as they are for adults, but it is important that they develop positive, rather than negative, coping skills.

If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing then, just as you would about any concerns that you have about their learning, come and talk to us. Sometimes children will need additional support for a short period – this may be in the form of a daily check-in with a trusted adult,  time to talk through what they are feeling and support in developing ways of moving forwards with this.

If your child is distressed for a long time, if their negative feelings are stopping them from getting on with their lives, if their distress is disrupting family life or if they are repeatedly behaving in ways you would not expect at their age, then please speak to your child's teacher.

Looking after yourself  

If things are getting you down, it’s important to recognise this. Talk to someone you trust and see what they think. It is easy to go on struggling with very difficult situations because you feel that you should be able to cope and don’t deserve any help.

Come and talk to us, in confidence and let us know when things are tough. As much as you try to hide how you are feeling from your child, they will notice even the smallest changes.

Go to your GP if things are really getting on top of you. Asking for some support from your doctor or a referral to a counselling service is a sign of strength. You can’t help your child if you are not being supported yourself.