Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health & Wellbeing
At Lunsford 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.
For our Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy, please click on the link:
Staff Wellbeing and the work life balance of our team here at Lunsford Primary School is a high priority.
We are pleased to share our latest Staff Wellbeing Results and Commentary with you.
At our school, we promote a mentally healthy environment through:
- Promoting our school values and encouraging a sense of belonging
- Promoting pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making
- Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements in order to promote self-esteem
- Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
- Providing opportunities to reflect
- Access to appropriate support that meets their needs
- Helping children to understand their emotions and feelings better and to feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- Helping children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
Nurture Principles:
As a school we have been working towards being a Nurture UK school supporting the wellbeing of everyone in our school, alongside the children’s social and emotional development through building social skills, confidence and self-esteem, enabling them to learn and take pride in their achievements.
An overview of how we are currently working towards the Six Principles of Nurture and what is on offer for our pupils at Lunsford Primary School:
1.Children’s learning is understood developmentally
We understand that children’s starting points for learning may be different, dependent on their emotional, social or cognitive stage and so teaching is adapted accordingly.
A Boxall Profile is completed for identified children to help establish gaps in their diagnostic and developmental progress. This is then used to create a targeted plan. Where children already have a Personalised Plan, the recommendations may be linked as appropriate.
2. The classroom offers a safe base
We have incorporated the children’s views and have worked hard to create a calm, safe environment where children feel welcome and both emotionally and physically secure. Routines, expectations and rules are consistently applied across the school. The curriculum is well planned and incorporates elements of PSHE, well-being and social aspects as a thread throughout. Positive and supportive interactions and relationships are prioritised between staff and pupils.
3. The importance of nurture for the development of wellbeing
Staff have accessed training on attachment and trauma and the impact of developing strong relationships. As a result of this, our behaviour policy reflects these principles as we focus on a relational and restorative approach. Communication between all stakeholders and an open-door policy ensures that the children’s wellbeing is at the heart of all that we do. We recognise the importance of staff wellbeing and regularly review how to reduce staff workload. We offer a number of interventions to support children’s wellbeing, including ELSA, Drawing and Talking, Lego Therapy and support from our Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner. We celebrate both in- and out of school achievements in newsletters and our weekly celebration assembly.
4. Language is a vital means of communication
As a school we encourage pupil voice and listen to children's views and wishes. We provide children and staff with a common vocabulary and tools for communication where they can share how they are feeling through Zones of Regulation. Language and vocabulary understanding and use is a thread throughout our teaching and routinely assessed.
5. All behaviour is a form of communication
Following the attachment and trauma training, we are aware that all behaviours are a form of communication for children and carefully try to unpick these through discussions with those working closely with individuals, with parents and with the children themselves.
6. The importance of transitions in children's lives
We recognise transitions for children can be particularly difficult and for some, this can even be the smaller transitions within the day. As a school we ensure every class has their own visual timetable at the front of the room so all children can be prepared for what is coming next. Where appropriate, we use social stories to help reinforce change and transition and offer time to prepare, where possible. We plan careful transition opportunities for pupils between settings when starting school or moving to secondary school. We value clear and meaningful handover with families and between staff and all professionals involved in each child’s schooling.
We have introduced the Six Principles of Nurture to the children over a series of assemblies with linked activities to be completed in class:
Zones of Regulation:
Since September 2023, Lunsford has delivered the Zones of Regulation curriculum across the school. The Zones of Regulation is an approach designed to help individuals recognise their feelings and use strategies to regulate themselves. This approach involves lessons and activities to gain skills in the area of self-regulation and emotional control for children from as young as 4 years old up to adulthood. This approach gives the children a common language to use when discussing their feelings and to recognise emotions and behaviours in themselves and others.
We offer different levels of support for mental health and wellbeing:
Universal offer - To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum:
- Our PSHE Jigsaw programme – this helps pupils to build important life skills, such as understanding mental health alongside strategies to keep this in balance; learning to learn and growth mindset.
- Zones of Regulation curriculum – to develop the children’s understanding of emotions and how to self-regulate
- Nurture UK approaches – developing the understanding of the Six Principles of Nurture
- Promotion of our school values and encouraging a sense of belonging
- Valuing pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making
- Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements in order to promote self-esteem. This is celebrated through posting achievements on Class Dojo; displaying pupil’s work; weekly Celebration Assembly each week; class assemblies, school newsletters; Dojo points and house points.
- Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
- Providing opportunities to reflect
- Helping children to understand their emotions and feelings better and to feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- Helping children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
- Worry Monsters in each classroom, where children can share their worries with a trusted adult
- Class Dojo - parents can send messages regarding concerns or worries to the class teacher
- Transition sessions to support children’s moves to another class each year
- Allocated buddies for new children
- Informal breaktime/ lunchtime drop ins for pupils to be able to chat/share their worries with an adult.
- Key Stage 2 children as play-leaders to support younger children in positive play
- Quieter lunchtime clubs to promote mental health and wellbeing and support for pupils who find busy lunchtimes stressful
- Positive behaviour systems in place to promote positive social behaviour
- We include World Mental Health Day and Children's Mental Health Awareness Week in the school calendar and plan activities for the whole school
- We offer numerous positive opportunities for children to promote wellbeing and good mental health: lunch and break time activities to play outside; access to the library to borrow books to read; active learning; home learning projects; mixed year group Inspiration Days throughout the year; residential visits; educational day trips; before and after school clubs and extra-curricular clubs
Additional support - For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences:
- Check-ins and Talk time with trusted adults
- Bereavement Counselling
- Identified safe spaces for children to go in school, where they can regulate their emotions
- Access to the Specialist Teaching and Learning Service’s SEMH Secondary School Transition Project for those children who may require additional support when transitioning to secondary school
Targeted support - For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions:
- Drawing and Talking Therapy – we have three members of staff, Mrs Cripps, Mrs Lomax and Mrs Tayor, who are trained to deliver this attachment based therapeutic intervention, which allows individuals to discover and communicate emotions
- ELSA Support – we have two trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants, Mrs Barton and Mrs Cripps who deliver 1:1 support for children who are showing social or emotional difficulties, such as anxiety, low self-esteem, difficulties managing anger etc
- Additional transition sessions for children who find changes to a different class more challenging
- Sensory boxes are available to provide children with resources to support with their self-regulation
- Brain Buddies – this group is led by our Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner to help small groups of children with the aim to develop children’s understanding of their emotions and their ability to regulate their feelings
- Lego Therapy – to support with the development of social skills, sharing, turn taking and collaborative problem solving
Lead staff members to contact if you are concerned about your child’s mental health:
- Ms Beckett – Senior Mental Health Lead and SENCO, responsible for promoting the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff
- Miss Graves – Mental Health Lead and Mental Health First Aider, responsible for promoting the health and wellbeing of pupils and staff
- Mrs Lomax – Mental Health First Aider and Deputy Headteacher
- Mr Anscombe – Headteacher
- Mrs Taylor - Family Liaison Officer – promotes the wellbeing and education of the pupils, and provides support to their families, as well as liaison between them and school.
Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner
We have an Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner, Kelly Dawson, who is in school once a week.
The Emotional Wellbeing Teams work within schools to provide support for children's mental health and wellbeing. We understand that, from time to time, children and families need additional support, for example, if your child is experiencing anxiety or low mood, and so they are here to help. The belief is that getting early help can prevent difficulties from getting bigger.
Kelly is able to provide:
- Assemblies
- Class workshops
- Parental Workshops
- 1:1 and family support
If you think your child would benefit from this support, please contact Ms Beckett (SENCO).
The Emotional Wellbeing Teams also offer online support:
Please follow this link to understand more about the work of the Emotional Wellbeing Teams:
https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/kent-and-medway-mental-health-support-teams
External support for your child’s mental health and wellbeing:
In addition to support in school, if you are worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing, you can contact:
- Your GP: they are a useful place to gain medical support and signposting of local services
- School Health:
Parents are able to make self-referrals for a range of support through School Health:
https://www.kentcht.nhs.uk/service/school-health/
Support specific to emotional wellbeing can be found:
- Young Minds: Parents free helpline: 0808 802 5544.
- CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. CAMHS is the NHS service which assesses and treats young people with emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.
For more information, visit the websites below:
Guide to CAMHS (youngminds.org.uk)
Kent & Medway Children & Young People's Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) | NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
CAMHS also have some useful resources for parents:
Other useful sources:
https://www.kmhealthandcare.uk/mental-wellbeing-information-hub
https://mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/mental-health-needs/
https://www.mind.org.uk/about-us/local-minds/
https://www.mindedforfamilies.org.uk
https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk
Sleep:
https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/information-support/children/
Bereavement:
https://www.griefencounter.org.uk
Books to support bereavement:
- Dogger – gentle intro to discussion for very young children
- Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley (particularly useful if an older person has died).
- Michael Rosen’s Sad Book
- Tattybogle by Sandra Ann Horn
- Muddles, Puddles & Sunshine by Winstons Wish – is an activity book.
- Vicky Angel by Jaqueline Wilson (a friend’s death, for older children)
Useful booklets/publications:
Supporting pupils’ emotional wellbeing and mental health, so that they can be listened to, are happy together and ready to learn is vitally important to us. Therefore, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Staff Wellbeing Charter
The Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body are fully committed to promoting and fostering positive well-being for pupils and staff across Lunsford Primary School.
A happy and healthy workforce is vital for the success of our pupils. The culture of a school therefore is critical in ensuring that staff have an enjoyable, rewarding working environment in which all colleagues believe the demands of their job are reasonable and manageable.
Signing up to the DfE Staff Wellbeing Charter demonstrates our commitment and offer to staff, and ensures that levels of stress and anxiety are reduced as low as possible in the organisation.
The Charter clearly sets out our collective approach for day to day delivery and how we work together, providing a framework that covers the key challenges we face as a profession. The charter also underpins our determination to ensure that our school is a wonderful place to work.