Wellbeing

This is the link to our school policy:

Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy

At East-the-Water Primary School, we work really hard to support your children with their wellbeing and mental health each day

Our Relationships Education covers the statutory curriculum and is progressive from Year 1 – Year 6. As part of this, children are taught to:

• Recognise their own and others feelings in regards to mental wellbeing
• Develop strategies to support their wellbeing (such as knowing how to deal with worries)
• Have a deeper understanding about empathy and compassion for others

The Curriculum section of our website gives greater detail including the Curriculum Map and Policy. In addition to this, our whole school assemblies are planned to include mental health and wellbeing. Throughout the year, children cover topics such as ‘Time to Talk’ bullying, individual liberties and online safety. This changes each year.

Day-to-day, we support wellbeing in class through:

•  Teachers meet and greet each child at the beginning of the day at their classroom door to welcome and settle them. Those that need more are given further space to regulate either in or out of class and have the opportunity to talk with adults in the school.
• Having a strong team of teaching assistants that always seem to find time to talk to your child when they are worried or upset
•  An open door approach from Senior Leaders to support children (rarely is there a day when there are no children around or in their rooms)
•  Every classroom has a calm box and space in the classroom to access it
•  Having a strong pastoral team that support children through interventions such as the Talkabout programme
•  Having active playtimes with lots of exciting clubs as well as quiet zones for those who prefer them
• Teachers are trained to write social stories to support children with scenarios that they might find difficult (such as falling out with friends or worrying about their spellings)
• Each class has a teaching assistant trained in how to make a comic strip conversation to support children with issues that arise

Place2Be

• Place2Be is a national charity supporting our school to improve the confidence and wellbeing of children and young people.
• A trained counsellor works individually with children 2 days a week
• The counsellor also offers Place2Talk on Tuesdays and Fridays at lunchtimes. These sessions are open to any child from Year 3-6 who may want to discuss any worries or issues they have, either in and out of school

place2be.org.uk

Music Therapy

We are lucky to have a trained music therapist working in our school, Mrs Claire Doyle.

Music therapy is used as a means to develop communication, by helping children to develop their social and emotional understanding. We have seen children’s confidence grow thereby also seeking to develop their overall well-being.

Mrs Doyle works with children every Friday afternoon.

Mental Health in Schools Team (MHST)

We are now working alongside MHST – they are an early intervention service focused on evidence based, guided self-help to help improve children’s mental health. They offer therapeutic support to children as well as working closely with us to develop the whole school awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing.

As part of this, we can make referrals for individual pupils for support with anxieties and worries or for those who lack emotional regulation.

This is the link to their website which has lots of resources and information that may be of use: The Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST) – Children and Family Health Devon

This additional link gives you some general information about their service:  Mental Health Support Team (MHST) – YouTube,

Online resources for parents to use to support their child

Online there are a range of websites that may be of use to you as parents to support your own child’s wellbeing. Please click on the links below if you are interested in finding out more.

Please note: The Devon Partnerships Talkworks website supports you as parents with your own mental health.

luminova.app – a digital game, funded by NHS England, it helps builds resilience for young people to learn they can cope with their worries or fears. Free for families in Devon, it is aimed at children age 7-12. Each game is for around 30-40 minutes and it is best that the child completes the game 3-4 x a week.

Happy Maps – provides support for parents and children around behaviour and mental health. It has wide ranging topics to look at such as anger, coping with divorce, OCD and sleep.

Stop Breathe Think – provides young people access to free 1-1 counselling from the age of 8.

Youngminds – Like Happy Maps, it has a wide ranging section for parents who need advice on how to support their child. It is similar to Happy Maps but has additional useful topics such as gaming and exams.

Devon Partnerships Talkworks – Sometimes when supporting your child, you may feel that you need some support as the parent yourself. This is a free confidential service, part of NHS Talking Therapies, for people (aged18+) in Devon (helping you to feel better and giving you the tools and techniques to improve your mental and physical wellbeing).