Mental Health and Wellbeing 

We are dedicated to fostering the health and wellbeing of our staff and pupils, creating a school community where everyone feels valued and can thrive. Our goal is for pupils to leave Year 6 as resilient, emotionally intelligent, and empathetic members of society.

We aim to equip each child with a deep understanding of their emotions and a robust set of strategies to use during challenging, sad, or stressful times.

Pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their mental, emotional, physical, and digital well-being. They learn to understand their rights and responsibilities, and to think independently rather than yielding to peer pressure or external influences. They understand that mistakes and difficult times are part of life, and that our own thinking is what shapes our response and determines our state of mind. 

Positive mental health is a shared responsibility. Mrs Robertson, our Headteacher and Senior Mental Health Lead, collaborates closely with Mrs Dembowicz, our SENCo, and a team of trained ELSAs to oversee mental health support.

We support the social and emotional development of all pupils, integrating it seamlessly into the curriculum and daily practice. Our strategies include promoting self-esteem, providing reflection time, incorporating movement breaks, emotion coaching, and using the Zones of Regulation.

Strategies & Support

Our school offers a comprehensive range of Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) support through a three-tiered intervention approach:

1. Universal Support: Meeting the needs of all pupils through our ethos, school values, high quality teaching, and the PSHE curriculum, as well as the broader curriculum.

• Additional support: For pupils with short-term needs or those made vulnerable by life experiences, such as separation or bereavement
• Targeted support: For pupils requiring more specialised support, resources, or interventions, including referrals to external professionals.

We place an emphasis on early intervention, enabling a proactive rather than reactive approach to support.

Tabs with more information: 

Zones of Regulation

The Zones of Regulation program is introduced to all our children, starting in Preschool, and is tailored to their developmental level. It helps pupils become aware of their feelings, energy, and alertness levels, while teaching various tools and strategies for self-regulation, social skills, self-care, and overall well-being.

This program is integrated into our curriculum and daily activities, using simple language and visual aids to make the complex skill of self-regulation more understandable for both pupils and their supporters. Each classroom displays a Zones of Regulation map, allowing children to recognise and express their emotions throughout the day. Regular ‘Zones’ assemblies are held to reinforce the principles of the shared language and approach. 

ELSA

An ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) is a staff member specially trained to support the emotional well-being of children and young people. ELSAs bring extensive experience in working with pupils, offering both flexible, on-the-spot support and structured, targeted sessions tailored to individual needs.

Drawing & Talking Therapy 

Drawing and Talking is a short-term, proactive therapeutic intervention designed to complement, not replace, specialist mental health services.

Over a 12-week cycle of 30-minute one-on-one sessions, this gentle, non-intrusive approach helps children process emotional pain stemming from trauma. Through drawing, children can express their feelings in ways that go beyond verbal communication.

What sets Drawing and Talking apart is its non-directed technique, allowing individuals to explore and express emotions freely, distinguishing it from more structured, solution-focused, or cognitive-based therapies;

Social Skills

We offer a range of social skills interventions to support pupils in developing and maintaining relationships, especially benefiting those with social communication difficulties. Children who need extra help in this area may be invited to join small group sessions during the school day. 

These sessions offer additional support through activities such as Comic Strip Conversations, Social Stories, Turn Taking, and Lego Therapy.