Emotional Wellbeing
Emotional Wellbeing Intent Statement (Mental Health)
Our vision is for a ‘Happy school’; this applies to everyone. The mental health of children and adults is just as important as their physical health. Good mental health allows children and young people to develop the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into well-rounded, healthy adults. Good mental health enables staff members to fulfil their ambitions for our children and to provide a happy and fulfilling environment.
Emotional well being has been defined as; “A positive state of mind and body; feeling safe and able to cope, with a sense of connection with people, communities and the wider environment.”
We have a strong team at the Federation who care strongly that children are well supported and nurtured; our admin team, teachers, teaching assistants, mid day supervisors and leadership team, including our Governors all work together to make a positive difference everyday.
Our School Council have written a kindness charter and have also had input into what makes us all happy in designing our emotional wellbeing policies.
Wave Provision for all
Promoting positive mental health runs through the core of our school ethos.
Provision | Delivery |
|---|---|
PSHE (Personal Social and Health Education) RHE | PSHE is taught throughout the school discretely via circle time, discussions, whole class lessons and whole school assemblies. It is also embedded throughout other subjects and in all that we do. It promotes fundamental British values, social, moral, spiritual and cultural understanding and prepares children and young people for the next stage in their lives. As part of the schools’ provision for Relationship and Health Education. We help pupils understand and express their feelings, and build their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their ability to learn. The PSHE curriculum is well planned and provides a structure for teaching emotional wellbeing such as ‘feelings’, social skills and empathy as well as keeping safe and relationships. Children learn how to stand up for their rights and the rights of others. |
Our Curriculum | Our curriculum is based on three drivers: The first is our desire to develop WHAT the children learn- our focus here is to develop the children’s speech and language skills, to help children articulate their feelings, to enable the children to be physically healthy and active, to develop their physical skills and emotional health and ensure that all learning is accessible. The second driver is to develop the character of our children (HOW our children learn), to teach the children our Learning Powers (resilience, risk taking, communicator, positive relationships, curiosity and a love of learning), promote them in all contexts and enable the children to have lasting memories. We strive for the children to develop their critical thinking and their creativity so that they are resilient and emotionally mature. The third driver is enabling the children to understand their role in the community and wider world deepening a respect for other cultures in a diverse and ever changing world and to be the well-rounded and kind individuals the world needs. (WHO) |
Positive Relationship and Behaviour Management | We promote a nurturing ethos and believe children learn best when they feel happy and secure. The school strives to develop an ordered, trusting, supportive and caring school that bases its practice upon a shared understanding of others. We appreciate that learning to behave is like any other area of learning and is always based on positive relationships. Our whole school relationship and behavior policy is underpinned by relational and restorative approaches and our three rules are to be 'Ready, Kind and Safe'. |
Learning Powers | We recognise the importance of creating classrooms and teaching experiences that enable pupils to make memories and develop positive mindsets. When children are resilient, curious, have a love of learning, positive relationships, communicate and take risks they can take on challenges and learn from them, therefore increasing their motivation, abilities and life-long love of learning. Children will learn to: · be open to constructive criticism; · take on new challenges; · (crucially) believe they can get more intelligent by working hard; · show resilience and perseverance; · and learn from their fabulous mistakes. |
Yoga and Mindfulness | All children in the school participate in yoga (stretching and balancing activities) where they also learn to develop skills in concentrating and developing a strong focus. The children are introduced to mindfulness principles and have daily opportunities to participate in class mindfulness sessions. |
Lunchtime Provision | Every child has a key lunch time supervisor, activities are set up and available to support positive relationships. |
Classroom environments | Every class has a worry monster or worry box, adults offer calm book areas, calm boxes and support in using Zones of Regulation. Mindfulness and breathing techniques are an aspect of daily practice as well as outstanding positive relationships and positive role modelling. |
Wave 2 Additional Interventions
Our Wave 2 provision includes targeted small-group intervention for pupils who can be expected to catch up with their peers. This type of intervention is designed for children for whom a well-structured short-term programme, delivered by either a teaching assistant, teacher or Welbeing Support Worker, is all that is needed to enable them to make accelerated progress.
Provision | Delivery | Expected Outcomes | Entry and Exit Level Data/ Monitoring | Year Groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Social Stories | Teacher and Teaching Assistant/ LSAs identify individual need and create a Social story to deliver daily or more frequently | Child improves behaviours or attitudes over a course of time. | Observations | Nursery- Year 2 |
One to one mentoring.
| Inclusion TA/ Class TA works with individual child tailored to the child’s individual needs (short term) | Child responds positively and improves resilience or builds self esteem | Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire/ wellbeing support assessment- before and after scores | Nursery- Year 2 |
Support with groups
| Inclusion TA/ Class TA works with groups of children- vulnerable/ similar needs/ transition (short term) | Happy and settled children | Observations and Child’s voice | Nursery –Year 2 |
Support in class
| Inclusion TA/ Class TA supports child in class | Happy and settled children | Observations and Child’s voice | Nursery –Year 2 |
Our Wave 3 provision is for children for whom Quality First teaching and Wave 2 catch-up programmes are not enough. It may need to be a more intensive programme, involving more individual support or specialist expertise.
Provision | Delivery | Expected Outcomes | Entry and Exit Level Data/ Monitoring | Year Groups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Early Help Assessment.
| DSLs complete an EHA with whole family | Whole family are supported and change occurs for the child and family
| Discussions with key people/ CT/ family and child- ongoing monitoring
| N- Year 2 |
Playground support
| Inclusion TA supports child or children in situ in the playground to facilitate positive play over a period of time with positive modelling. | Improved behaviour at lunchtime from targeted children | Observations, monitoring and child voice. | R- Year 2 |
Lunchtime- eating support | Inclusion TA supports positive eating habits over a period of time | Improved eating behaviours with targeted children | Observations and concerns- children able to socialise and see it as a positive experience/ child voice | R- Year 2 |
Friendship groups
| Inclusion TA works with social groups/ developing friendships over a period of time | Improved friendships and social skills | Observe friendships are made and maintained | R- Year 2 |
Intensive 1:1 wellbeing support | Tailored support programmes are run to support individual children with a range of social and emotional difficulties, including peer relationships, transition and self-esteem. | Improvement in the area of emotional literacy being targeted, with a positive impact on learning progress as a result. | Strengths and Difficulties and Wellbeing Assessment- before and After | N-Year 2 |
Drawing and talking | Tailored support programmes are run to support individual children with a range of social and emotional difficulties, including peer relationships, transition and self-esteem. | Improvement in the area of emotional literacy being targeted, with a positive impact on learning progress as a result. | Strengths and Difficulties and Wellbeing Assessment- before and After | N- Year 2 |
CAMHS referral | For children who need specialized support | Improvement in the area of emotional literacy being targeted, with a positive impact on learning progress as a result. | Clinical assessments | R- Year 2 |
Outcome:
All pupils are provided with an education appropriate to their needs and one, which extends and develops their emotional health and well-being as part of the schools’ provision for Relationship and Health Education. We want all children and our staff to understand and express their feelings, and build their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their ability to learn and grow.