Emotional Health & Wellbeing
Well-Being and Emotional Health
White Ash Primary School are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our children and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.
In our school we:
- help children to understand their emotions and feelings better
- help children feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- help children socially to form and maintain relationships
- promote self-esteem and ensure children know that they count
- encourage children to be confident and ‘dare to be different’
- help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setback
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are – Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, and Take Notice.
They help us 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.
How the Five Ways work at White Ash School:
Connect
- Good morning routines, welcoming children into school to start each day with a smile
- Friendship week
- Celebration Assemblies
- Implement a ‘Worry Box’ system in each classroom which the Wellbeing Ambassadors check on a weekly basis
Keep Learning:
- Emotional Coaching – understanding our own emotional
- Connect people through learning different foreign languages (European Awareness Days)
- Encourage children to learn a new skill in their own time and to send in photos of them doing so
- Learn new words that relate to wellbeing
- Keep Learning – teacher reward and acknowledge when children are using 5 Ways
Be Active:
- Daily Mile
- Active play during lunchtime such as: basketball, football, hula-hooping, skipping and den building
- Daily mile
- Happiness walks
- Create a gardening club
- Have yoga sessions during school time
Take Notice:
- Emotion and feelings boards
- Zone of regulation
- Mindful meditation
- Mindful colouring
- Yoga
- Mindfulness Club and Online Mindfulness Resources
- A room to go to where you can calm down and work through tough emotions / distress
- Play relaxing music at lunchtime
Give:
- Promote a local recycling project which the school is supporting
- Charity events
- Thank you notes to children and teachers
Promoting whole school wellbeing ideas:
- Wellbeing timetabled into every school day
- Wellbeing Wednesday
- Display the 5 steps to wellbeing
- Wellbeing Team
- Wellbeing board outside the dining hall
- Put posters around the school, with inspirational quotes and positive affirmations.
- Wellbeing Awards and Golden Tickets
- 5 Ways Stickers
- Inspiring Quotes around the school
- Photos up of Wellbeing Ambassadors
Useful links
Dealing with anxiety - https://tutorful.co.uk/guides/the-expert-guide-to-help-your-child-with-anxiety
Every Mind Matters - https://coronavirusresources.phe.gov.uk/now-more-than-ever-every-mind-matters/
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/
https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline/
https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/school-resources/find-your-feet-transition-tips-for-parents/
https://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/if-a-child-tells-you-about-abuse.htm
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/
http://www.anorexiabulimiacare.org.uk/family-and-friends/parents