Mental Health & Wellbeing
At Aldercar Infant and Nursery School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We feel that it is essential to educate children so that they are able them to make well-informed life choices, that support their
We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.
At our school, we promote a mentally healthy environment by:
- Promoting our school values and encouraging a sense of belonging
- Promoting pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making
- Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements in order to promote self-esteem
- Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
- Promoting
- Providing opportunities to reflect
- Access to appropriate support that meets individual needs
- Helping children to understand their emotions and feelings better and to feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- Helping children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
- Promoting health eating throughout the school.
We offer different levels of support to meet need:
Universal Support - To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance, developing resilience for all.
Additional support - For those who may have short-term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement.
Targeted support - For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as wellbeing groups or personal mentors.
Lead staff members will contact parents and carers if we have concerns about a child’s mental health.
What do we currently do for mental health and wellbeing for our pupils and staff?
We have a designated Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead in school who is responsible for promoting the mental health and wellbeing for our pupils (Mrs Anscombe).
- We have a designated Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead in school who is responsible for promoting the mental health and wellbeing of our staff (Mrs. Siddons)
- We have a dedicated Family Liaison and Early Help team who work with children and their families to offer support for a wide range of needs including mental health and wellbeing.
- We run a nurture group (Honey Bees) three times a week to support children to develop social, emotional, resilience and mental health skills.
- In each class we have worry boxes for pupils to share their worries with a safe adult.
- We have nominated school council members in each class to represent their peers and gain feedback in class assemblies.
- We have Class Dojo for all teaching staff so parents can email concerns or worries.
- We allocated a buddy for all new pupils.
- We have Y2 children as play-leaders to support younger children play well on the playground.
- We have a range of physical lunchtime activities and quieter lunchtime activities to promote mental health and wellbeing.
- We provide support for pupils who find busy lunchtimes stressful.
- We have mental health and wellbeing assemblies to promote resilience and self-management.
- We have a PSHE curriculum that helps pupils to build important life skills, such as learning to learn, habits of mind and the growth mind set.
- We include World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week in the school calendar and plan activities for the whole school.
- We have transition days when pupils move to a new year group, extra transition sessions for pupils who find change difficult to manage.
- We have a comprehensive transition into school for our new reception children each year.
Positive Experiences
At Aldercar, we offer pupils many opportunities to do physical activities as well as opportunities to relax, to promote wellbeing and positive mental health.
- Lunch games to play outside
- Active learning activities
- Honey Bees Nurture Group
- Home Learning Projects
- Themed Days
- Educational day visits
- Breakfast club
- After school clubs
Celebrating Success
We like to celebrate our many successes together by:
- Posting achievements on Class Dojo to celebrate what is taking place
- Displaying pupil’s work
- Celebration Assembly
- ‘Top Table’ lunchtime treat for pupils nominated by their class teacher
- Star in the Jar treats
- School newsletters
- Dojo points
- Star of the week
- Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum Awards
- Embark Awards
Curriculums
The school follows the DfE guidelines for the teaching of Mental Health and Wellbeing in the following ways:
- Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) scheme of work (We use Jigsaw)
- Oudoor Learning
- Forest Schools
- Active Learning
- Go Noodle
- Assemblies and theme days
Interventions to support Mental Health and Wellbeing
Staff coordinate interventions for pupils’ mental health and wellbeing such as:
- Lego therapy
- Honey Bees Nurture Group
- Individual sensory programmes
- Positive play
- Thrive therapy plans
- Self-esteem individual and group activities
- Emotional support work
- There's a Volcano in my Tummy anger therapy
Mental Health Support
We are currently living through extremely challenging times, and now perhaps more than ever, we should all be looking after our mental health and well-being, but what do we do if we are worried about a child's mental health or wellbeing?
As a parent or carer, you can:
- Go to your GP if you have concerns about your child. This is a good place to gain medical support and be signposted to local services, or to be referred to a School Nurse.
- Talk to your child’s class teacher or teaching assistant about your child's needs or your concerns.
- Talk to a member of the schools Early Help Team – Enquire at the office.
- Talk to our school Special Education Needs Coordinator, Mrs. Anscombe.
- Look at the list of useful links below.
Useful links
Derbyshire mental Health Helpline and Support Services
https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/helpline-and-support-service
Derbyshire Family Health Service
https://derbyshirefamilyhealthservice.nhs.uk/
Children’s Mental Health Services
https://www.derbyshirehealthcareft.nhs.uk/services/childrens-mental-health-services-camhs-derby-and-southern-derbyshire tmh-parent-leaflet-final-web-updated-by-ed-apr
Dealing with anxiety
https://tutorful.co.uk/guides/the-expert-guide-to-help-your-child-with-anxiety
Young minds parents’ survival guide
https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-survival-guide/
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
https://www.annafreud.org/parents/
Family lives (previously known as Parent line)
https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline/
Action for children
https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/
Winston’s Wish
https://www.winstonswish.org/
Staff Wellbeing
The Senior Leadership Team, the Governing Body and Embark Federation are fully committed to promoting and fostering positive well-being for pupils and staff at Aldercar Infant & Nursery School. A happy and healthy workforce is vital for the success of our pupils. The culture of a school therefore is critical in ensuring that staff have an enjoyable, rewarding working environment in which all colleagues believe the demands of their job are reasonable and manageable.
We are committed to ensuring that levels of stress and anxiety are reduced as low as possible in the organisation. We work together, to provide support for the key challenges we face as a profession. Our determination is to ensure that our school is a great place to work where all staff feel valued and supported.
