Mental Health and Wellbeing
As the World Health Organisation explain, mental health, mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. It is our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in.
At Westleigh Methodist Primary School we are a loving, inclusive family, rooted in our Christian Values and nurturing ethos. We provide a positive learning environment where all children can achieve their full potential.
Everyone needs good physical and mental health and well-being and strategies to support this long term throughout their lives.
We aim to promote positive mental health for all pupils and every member of our staff. We pursue this aim using both universal, whole school approaches and specialised, targeted approaches aimed at identified pupils. Our Mental Health Pledge is shown on the school website and appendix 1 of this policy.
In addition to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, we aim to recognise and respond to need as it arises. By developing and implementing practical, relevant and effective mental health and wellbeing policies and procedures we can promote a safe and stable environment for pupils affected both directly and indirectly by mental health and wellbeing issues.
Our Mental Health Pledge
As a School we will:
- Champion whole school approaches to sustainably build a mentally healthy school community.
- Emphasise the importance of staff wellbeing as a prerequisite for the wellbeing of the children they teach and support
- Highlight the connections between nutrition, physical, emotional and mental health
- Train our staff in mental health awareness so they can better support children in our school
- Engage parents in conversations about children’s mental health to foster support at home
- Seek and share good practice from other schools
- Work with organisations to promote children and young people’s mental wellbeing through physical activity and active lifestyle choices
- Promote in-school support for children with mild and moderate mental health needs
- Regularly review staff workload and working hours, ensuring routine working practices are emotionally friendly and compatible with family life
- Train our staff in mental health awareness and support honest conversations about mental health in our workplace community
- Have clear signposting to further help and resources for those who may need it
Our curriculum offers to deliver both physical and emotional outcomes for our pupils. Through our curriculum we aim to deliver life skills and positive feelings of wellbeing through the curriculum.
Supporting the wellbeing of children has never been so important. SSS have produced two fantastic free parental resources to support parents to support themselves and their children. These can be accessed here:
- Child Mental Health & Wellbeing - 10 Top Tips for Parents
- Parents' Mental Health & Wellbeing - 10 Top Tips for Parents
Please find attachment below for a parent/carer guide on Mental Health by the Mental Health Foundation and our Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy: