Emotional Health and Wellbeing

 

‘Mental health is not a question of faith or belief; it is a universal human concern. It is important to create a culture of encounter and solidarity, where those who are suffering from mental illness are not stigmatized but supported and loved.’  Pope Francis

 

Staff to support mental health

Headteacher/ Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Satterthwaite

Mental Health Lead/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – Mrs Pearson

PSHE Lead/Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead – Miss Greenhalgh

SENDCo – Mrs Dowling

 

At St Bernadette’s, we are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our children, parents and staff.  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.  We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement. Children can face difficulties from time to time with some facing significant life events during their school journey.

We take a whole school approach to promoting positive mental health that aims to help children become more resilient, happy and successful and to prevent problems before they arise. The core Gospel Values of the school, particularly respect, trust and friendship emphasise the importance of other's feelings and we endeavour to live and model these values, every day.

                                             

We want all our children to:

• have a strong sense of self and their own identity
• be able to express a range of emotions appropriately and safely
• be able to make and maintain positive relationships with others in the classroom and in the playground
• manage times of difficulty and be able to deal with change
• learn and achieve their full potential
• have an awareness of other pupils' feelings and how individuals' actions/behaviours can have an impact on the wellbeing of others
• be able to develop strategies to resolve conflicts positively with other children

 

To support wellbeing in school, children have two hours of PE, games and outdoor learning as part of the curriculum as well as access to after school clubs including sport, board games and choir. Children also have PSHE lessons every week which teach about …..

Children take part in anti-bullying week and are able to discuss any issues with their Pupil Voice representatives.

 

St B’s Hive

Currently, children in KS1 can visit the Hive during lunchtimes to play games and puzzles, draw and build with lego and Knex as well as read with support from our Wellbee-ing Ambassadors.

 

Worry Boxes

All our KS2 classrooms have a worry box where children can place a note about anything they are worried about. In KS1 the classrooms have worry monster where children can place their name to show they have a worry. Teachers can then have a quiet conversation and support the child in addressing their worry.