Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental Health Support Team Newsletter - Autumn 2023

Our aim:

At St Agatha’s we believe that a child’s emotional health and well-being influences their development and learning, as well as their physical and social health and their mental wellbeing in adulthood.

The department for Education recognises that, in order to help pupils succeed, schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy.

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.” (World Health Organization 2014)

At our school, we aim to promote positive mental health for every child, parent/carer and staff member; we take a whole school and cross-curricular approach. We aim to create a learning environment where all children feel safe, valued and confident in themselves. We use our ‘learning to learn’ values to help develop resilient learners that feel able to evaluate and take risks. We use our school and local environment to help promote a link between physical and mental health.

At our school 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.

Zones of Regulation - teaching children strategies for emotional and sensory self-management.

Wellbeing support at St Agatha’s:

Universal Support
In school, we promote and celebrate the learning to learn values of being resilient, forming good relationships, risk-taking, being reflective, resourceful and respectful. All children take part in weekly PSHE lessons using the Jigsaw and TenTen schemes of work.
Targeted Support
For children that might, at times, need a little extra support, we can offer more specialised provision that might include ELSA support, lunchtime drop in ELSA sessions, Lego therapy, art therapy or working with CAMHS.

At our school we have an ‘open door’ policy and are keen to hear if you have concerns or worries about mental health and wellbeing. Where face to face meetings are not possible, we are happy to arrange a virtual meeting instead.