Wellbeing & Mental Health Policy

The wellbeing of our pupils, parents and school personnel is paramount and cover all areas such as:

Physical well-being
Economic well-being
Social well-being
Development and activity
Emotional well-being
Psychological well-being
Life satisfaction
Domain specific satisfaction.

At St George's we promote an inclusive environment in which each pupil is valued and respected. We have an ethos of high expectations but recognise that all our pupils need a solid foundation of positive mental health in order to succeed. We recognise the indicators of social, emotional and mental health barriers and will respond quickly in order to put in place targeted SEMH interventions to support our pupils. Below is some information about our SEMH provision.

Coronavirus

Coronavirus - helping children to understand our current lifestyle change.

Some sources of advice on mental health and wellbeing:

Children and young people can access free confidential support anytime from Government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations by:

texting SHOUT to 85258
calling Childline on 0800 1111
calling the Mix on 0808 808 4994
Children and young people can also find online information on COVID-19 and mental health on the Young Minds website here
For support with an eating disorder, children and young people can ring Beat’s Youthline on 0808 801 0711
The Think Ninja (freely available and adapted for COVID-19) app educates 10-18 year olds about mental health, emotional wellbeing and provide skills young people can use to build resilience and stay well.
Rise Above (adapted for COVID-19) website aims to build resilience and support good mental health in young people aged 10 to 16.
The SEND Gateway is a good source of information for professionals, containing resources on responding appropriately to children and young people with SEND with emotional wellbeing needs.

And check out the files below:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a gentle technique which focuses on simple breathing exercises. It involves us directing our attention to our experience as it unfolds, moment by moment, with open-minded curiosity and acceptance.
Rather than worrying about what has happened or what might happen, it trains us to respond skilfully to whatever is happening right now, be that good or bad. It provides children with the tool to strengthen and protect themselves from anxieties or difficult emotions. Mindfulness training has been proven time and time again to improve health and wellbeing. It also helps people of all ages to learn more effectively, think more clearly, perform better and to feel calmer, less anxious and depressed.
Mindfulness is recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and it is now increasingly being used in business and schools to improve concentration, well-being and satisfaction. It is used in sports training to improve performance. Recent research has shown using it with young children in schools enhances learning. In years 5 and 6 we use an app called the “Smiling Mind” after lunch each day. This is free to download and some children have gone home and used it before bed or when they have felt they needed some quiet time.

ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support)

There will always be children and young people in schools facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with learning. Some will require greater support to increase their emotional literacy than others. ELSA is an initiative developed and supported by educational psychologists. It recognises that children learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also addressed. We have two qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistants at St George’s Primary School. They have been trained by Educational Psychologists to plan and deliver programmes of support to pupils who are experiencing temporary or longer term additional emotional needs.
The majority of ELSA work is delivered on an individual basis, but sometimes small group work is more appropriate, especially in the areas of social and friendship skills. Sessions are fun, we use a range of activities such as: games, role-play with puppets or arts and craft. The sessions provide support for a wide range of emotional needs: self-esteem, social skills, friendship skills, anger management loss and bereavement.

Lunch Club

We run a number of different lunch time clubs for children who have been identified as needing some additional support. We have one with our ELSA support and one for children who require more of a quieter lunch time. It is not compulsory to attend the sessions, some children like to join us just for lunch and then pop outside in the playground to enjoy the fresh air and friends! The club is lots of fun, we do activities such as art, craft, games to promote social skills and sometimes we listen to music! We encourage plenty of talking, listening, good manners and making new friends all while building on new skills to help the children with the challenges that they face at school.

Listening Ear

Our Family worker supports children’s well-being by providing a Listening Ear session which is an allocated time to talk about concerns or worries in a safe environment. Children can speak about anything that is worrying them, no matter how small it may seem. It is important to state that whatever is discussed will remain confidential and will not be disclosed to any party unless a pupil’s safety is at risk. Pupils’ concerns cover a range of issues including friendships, bullying, school work, health issues or bereavements of family, friends or pets and changes such as moving to a new home or secondary school.
The teaching timetable is quite comprehensive and does not always enable teachers to find time to discuss these sorts of worries with pupils. The ‘Listening Ear’ service gives children an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a sympathetic and supportive adult on an informal basis.

Yoga

Yoga has been shown to improve both physical and mental health in school-age children through building balance, strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity. Yoga can also offer psychological benefits for children as well. A growing body of research has already shown that yoga can improve focus, memory, self-esteem, academic performance, and classroom behaviour, and can even reduce anxiety and stress in children.
Emerging research studies also suggest that yoga can help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by improving the core symptoms of ADHD, including inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Yoga is really effective because it’s so tangible. Learning physical postures builds confidence and strength as well as the mind-body connection. The effects of yoga go beyond physical fitness and also allow children to build confidence and awareness beyond the classroom. Through yoga, children start to realise that they are strong and then are able to take that strength, confidence, acceptance, and compassion out into the world.

Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA)

At St George’s we have two Youth Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA). The role of a Youth MHFA Champion Youth Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Champions are skilled in understanding how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental health issues in young people and have the confidence to guide the young person to place of support.
The role of the Youth MHFA Champion is to act as a point of contact for the young person who is experiencing a mental health issue or emotional distress. This interaction could range from having an initial conversation through to guiding a young person to get appropriate support. − Youth MHFA Champions are invaluable in providing early intervention to help a young person who may be developing a mental health issue − Youth MHFA Champions are not trained to be therapists or psychiatrists but they can offer initial support through non-judgemental listening, reassurance and guidance.

Wellbeing & Mental Health Policy

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Bereavement

Bereavement pack