Wellbeing & Mental Health

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, and 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. Mindfulness is taught by a specialist trained teacher within school to children in year 4, this practice is then continued by the class teacher.

These books have been recommended as supportive and appropriate reads for you and your children. They cover a number of subjects and we have included books your child can enjoy on their own, others you can share with your child and some for parents to enjoy too. We hope they are useful and we would love to hear your own recommendations or your views on any of the books on this list. Many of them are available as audio or on Kindle as well as paper back. Please read the descriptions and reviews on line before purchasing any of these books as you know your child best and which may benefit them most. Happy reading.

Books for parents

Books for children

At St George’s we have a dedicated family worker. Our family worker supports our children and families with anything they may need; from friendship and relationship disputes; bereavement support; assistance with applications for free school meals; signposting for support for mental health concerns and addiction issues. 

Our family worker provides support for any children who find transition from home to school a challenge and writing personal support plans to assist these individuals. In addition, our family worker is able organise counselling for children with our in-house counsellor. She also liaises with our local PCSOs to organise workshops for both children and parents, with a particular focus on online safety, road safety and transition from primary to secondary school.

Finally, our family worker offers a listening ear service to both our children and their parents. The ‘Listening Ear’ service gives children an opportunity to discuss their concerns with a sympathetic and supportive adult on an informal basis. Children/Parents 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.

Our family worker is available to talk to at the school gate at drop off or pick up, she is also contactable by email via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

At St. George’s we have an in-school counsellor on site for one full day per week. Our counsellor is a person centred counsellor. In person-centred counselling the child will be encouraged to bring your own issues to the session – the counselling is led by them and not directed by the counsellor. A person-centred counsellor helps children to explore their own issues, feelings, beliefs, behaviour, and worldview, so that they can become more self- aware and achieve greater emotional regulation and independence.

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.

At St. George’s we teach and encourage our children to use ‘The Five Ways to Wellbeing’. Research shows there are five simple things you can do as part of your daily life – at work and at home – to build resilience, boost your wellbeing and lower your risk of developing mental health problems. These simple actions are known internationally as the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing are – Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, and Take Notice.

They help people take care of their mental health and wellbeing. Regularly practising the Five Ways is beneficial for everyone – whether you have a mental health problem or not.

Why the Five Ways work:

• Connect: Strengthening relationships with others and feeling close to and valued by others, including at work, is critical to boosting wellbeing.
• Keep Learning: Being curious and seeking out new experiences at work and in life more generally positively stimulates the brain.
• Be Active: Being physically active, including at work, improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.
• Give: Carrying out acts of kindness, whether small or large, can increase happiness, life satisfaction and general sense of wellbeing.
• Take Notice: Paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, boosts our wellbeing.

The Five Ways in action:

• Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
• Keep Learning. Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Take on a new responsibility at work.
• Be Active. Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Garden. Play a game.
• Give. Do something nice for a team mate. Thank someone. Volunteer your time.
• Take Notice. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment.

At St. George’s we have over 20 trained Anti-Bullying Ambassadors across KS2, they have been trained by specialist coaches from the Diana Award. The Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme equips students and staff with the tools needed to tackle bullying behaviour head on, creating a safer, kinder school community. Our Programme is youth-led, with our students leading their anti-bullying campaign as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors. A definition of bullying behaviour and the three types (including cyberbullying behaviour).

Our Ambassadors are trained in:

• How to identify bullying behaviour and when a peer may be experiencing bullying behaviour.
• Supporting a peer who may be experiencing bullying behaviour.
• The importance of being an Upstander and how to intervene safely.
• Signposting to further support.
• Campaign planning, developing ideas and practical next steps to implement in our setting.

At St. George’s we have teachers that are trained facilitators of the iheart programme. To enhance our year 6 curriculum and to ensure that the children are truly ready for their final year at St. George's and their transition to secondary school; throughout the Autumn term teachers deliver a series of lessons based on the principles of 'iheart' (Innate Health Education and Resilience Training) and coaching, in order to promote positive mental health and wellbeing. This program aims to develop a positive improvement in the following key areas:

• Mental Health
• Resilience
• Behaviour
• Relationships
• Motivation

The aim of the program is to empower the children with a secure foundation to cope with many of the challenges that they confront in school and wider society today.  The sessions will provide an excellent approach to developing this understanding in the following ways:

The children will learn in depth about their in-built potential and mental health by discovering how the mind creates all our realities, feeling states, moods and behaviours. This is the gateway for exploring the misunderstandings that create barriers to their natural resilience and wellbeing. Understanding the crucial connection between thought and feeling. By understanding where their feelings are coming from, the children will be better equipped to respond to a variety of situations - both positive and negative.

A range of the most relevant issues facing young people will be explored, including stress and anxiety; anger and conflict; prejudice and intolerance; bullying and bad behaviour; social media; identity and self-image; and barriers to motivation and learning. As the children progress through the program, they will have an increased respect for others, tolerance for diversity, as well as a greater capacity to reduce conflict and bullying. The children will discover how to welcome and accept differences, rather than feel judgmental or discriminatory.

At St. George’s we have trained Mental Health First Aiders. The purpose of a MHFA is to be a point of contact for children or adults within our community if they are experiencing emotional distress or suffering in silence with mental health problems, such as stress, anxiety or depression, for example.

Mental Health First Aiders are trained to listen. They are trained to spot the early signs of mental ill-health in others. They are taught to confidently signpost someone to appropriate support, both internal and external, and they are equipped to deal with emergencies too - such as psychosis, thoughts of suicide, or attempted suicide.

It is important to note however - that MHFAs are not qualified therapists/counsellors/psychiatrists. They cannot advise, but they can listen and offer support options.

They are trained to:

• Maintain confidentiality (unless someone’s physical safety or life is at risk)
• Spot early signs of mental ill-health
• Assess the risk of self-harm or suicide
• Listen to what people are saying without judgement
• Know when to contact the emergency services (if it’s required)
• Care for their own physical safety and mental wellbeing
• Know how to start a conversation with someone who may be experiencing emotional or mental ill-health
• Encourage people to use additional support that’s available, including internal and external support systems
• Complete critical incident documents where necessary

A nurture group is a school-based intervention. The aim is to replace missing early experiences by developing positive pupil relationships with both teachers and peers in a supportive environment.

Nurture groups are designed to address the social and emotional needs that can hamper pupils’ learning. So as well as providing academic teaching, the group is designed to help children develop vital social skills, to develop confidence and self-respect, and to take pride in behaving well and in achieving.

In nurture groups, there’s a special emphasis on language development and communication: nothing is taken for granted and everything is clearly explained by the staff, with the help of demonstrations and (where helpful) physical gestures. Pupils are given the time they need both to listen and be listened to.

The transition to secondary school refers to the time in which a child makes the educational shift from ending their final year at primary school, to settling into a new stage of their life in Year 7. At St. George’s we are committed to ensuring that our pupils are fully prepared when they leave us to move on to their secondary schools.

The transition from primary to secondary school is exciting for children and marks a new phase in their lives. Children recognise it as part of growing up and are aware that their lives are about to change in an important way. Like any change, it can also bring uncertainty. Most children will manage the transition to secondary school successfully. However, there may be ups and downs. It’s easy for children to slip from feeling happy and confident one minute, to feeling nervous or anxious and back again as they find their feet.

To support the children through their transition, we: encourage them to explore their feelings; help them connect to their school; have workshops specific for building friendships and relationships; aim empower them by building their confidence and independence.

Click here to go to our Wellbeing & Mental Health Policy

Click here to go to our Parent Signposting Links

A free online resource featuring practical advice and tried-and-tested tips for parents and carers of primary age children. Covers mealtimes, anxiety, issues with friends, online safety. Lots of short video clips to watch to gain advice and ideas.