Health and Well-Being
Mental Health & Wellbeing at Springfield
Pupil Support
At Springfield we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of all our pupils. We are a community where everyone feels able to to thrive. Our school ethos and values underpin everything that we do. 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.
What is mental health?
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act.
Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.
Most children grow up mentally healthy, but surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago. It is thought that this is probably because of changes in the way that we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up.
What helps?
Things that can help keep children and young people mentally well include:
- being in good physical health, eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise
- having time and the freedom to play, indoors and outdoors
- being part of a family that gets along well most of the time
- going to a school that looks after the wellbeing of all its pupils
- taking part in local activities for young people.
Other factors are also important, including:
- feeling loved, trusted, understood, valued and safe
- being interested in life and having opportunities to enjoy themselves
- being hopeful and optimistic
- being able to learn and having opportunities to succeed
- accepting who they are and recognising what they are good at
- having a sense of belonging in their family, school and community
- feeling they have some control over their own life
- having the strength to cope when something is wrong (resilience) and the ability to solve problems.
In school, we teach children about what it means to have good mental health and wellbeing throughout our curriculum and daily practice.
Our RSHE curriculum focuses specifically on developing children’s social and emotional skills which can prevent poor mental health from developing and help all children cope effectively with setbacks and remain healthy. It is about helping children to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour and build skills that help them to thrive, such as working in a team, persistence, and self-awareness.
What if my child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing?
Mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time and neither does it mean avoiding stresses altogether. One of the most important ways to help your child is to listen to them and take their feelings seriously.
In many instances, children and young people’s negative feelings and worries usually pass with the support of their parents and families. It is helpful for the school to know what they are going through at these times, so that staff can be aware of the need and support this.
Coping and adjusting to setbacks are critical life skills for children, just as they are for adults, but it is important that they develop positive, rather than negative, coping skills.
If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing then, just as you would about any concerns that you have about their learning, come and talk to us. Sometimes children will need additional support for a short period – this may be in the form of a daily check-in with a trusted adult, time to talk through what they are feeling and support in developing ways of moving forwards with this.
If your child is distressed for a long time, if their negative feelings are stopping them from getting on with their lives, if their distress is disrupting family life or if they are repeatedly behaving in ways you would not expect at their age, then please speak to your child's teacher.
Looking after yourself as parents
If things are getting you down, it’s important to recognise this. Talk to someone you trust and see what they think. It is easy to go on struggling with very difficult situations because you feel that you should be able to cope and don’t deserve any help.
Come and talk to us, in confidence and let us know when things are tough. As much as you try to hide how you are feeling from your child, they will notice even the smallest changes.
Go to your GP if things are really getting on top of you. Asking for some support from your doctor or a referral to a counselling service is a sign of strength. You can’t help your child if you are not being supported yourself.
The levels of support we offer:
- Universal Support - To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our curriculum. For instance, developing resilience for all and creating a strong community for everyone to feel like they belong.
- Additional support in school - For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement and difficult circumstances outside of school. We have 2 members of staff in school who can support children in school. These are our ELSA’s – Mrs Dowding and Mrs Hajdari.
- Targeted support from external agencies- For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions we can refer to the West Berkshire Emotional Health Academy, the West Berkshire Therapeutic Thinking Service, or agencies such as the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
Examples of the support provided in school:
- Behavioural Interventions
- ELSA
- Nurture room and groups with our ELSA
- School Counsellors from the Emotional Health academy
- Transition to secondary school support
- Early morning/breaktime groups for identified pupils
- RSHE lessons
- Lunchtime clubs
- Lego Therapy
- Speech and Language Support
- Individual Pastoral Support
- Individual Therapy Support
Leaflet about the ELSA support in school
West Berkshire Well Being hub leaflet
click here for the link to the Emotional Heath Academy