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At Monkhouse Primary School, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that our school community; children, staff and families feel able to thrive. Our school values and vision underpin everything we do. Our school vision aims to develop an emotionally healthy school which will allow our learners to be nurtured, encouraged and challenged so that they make excellent progress and academic achievement; Valuing mistakes as a chance to reflect and learn.’
As a school, we place a high importance on children understanding that good, strong emotional health and wellbeing are essential ingredients in supporting them to achieve success and reach their full potential. Being happy is part of mental wellbeing but feelings of contentment, confidence and engagement with the world are equally as important as is strong self esteem.
We have a designated Senior Mental Health Lead in School who is fully trained and committed to developing a whole school approach to wellbeing and mental health.
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. We all have mental health and it can range across a spectrum from feeling healthy and well to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.
Action for Children reports that youth mental health has declined in the last few years, with
one in six children aged 5-16 are likely to have a mental health problem. This figure has gone up by 50% in the last three years.
Young people know more about mental health these days and are aware that their mental wellbeing can affect their lives more broadly. A recent study by Action for Children reported that children listed mental health as one of their top five concerns.
Parents, grandparents and guardians are worried about their young peoples’ wellbeing, too. 57% of parents and 64% of grandparents think childhoods are worse today than previous generations.
Action for Children 2024.
We follow a whole school approach that involves all parts of the school working together and being committed. This involves partnership between senior leaders, teachers and all school staff, as well as parents, carers and the wider community.
In school, we teach children about what it means to have a good mental health and emotional wellbeing and throughput our curriculum and daily practice. Staff are committed to creating a positive, safe environment that supports emotional health and wellbeing. We teach a rich and varied curriculum through project based learning with links to the real life situations.The personal , social and health section of the curriculum is given high priority and all year groups use the same strands and strategies throughout their time at Monkhouse, this includes The 5 point scale of emotions and self regulation techniques.
We also develop understanding and development of mental health and wellbeing through daily routines within school such as; assembly, school values, Children's Mental Health Week and stories.
Extra curricular clubs that focus on wellbeing are offered to children. We have massage and Yoga sessions weekly in school and periodically we use outside practitioners to come into school and help our children.
Our staff are fully trained to lead and run the Commando Joe Programme. The Commando Joe programme provides opportunities for the children to complete fun 'missions' to promote; resilience, teamwork, communication skills, empathy, self-awareness, positivity and excellence. Both Monkhouse and Commando Joe share the vision of ‘Building character, self-worth and confidence in young people for happier, healthier living’
With the help of the PTA and parent volunteers, money raised has enabled the school to create a fantastic room called The Hub – this relaxing space has been set up for all children to access for mindfulness, nurture, relaxation, quiet time, self reflection, learning and play. Activities within The Hub are mostly targeted at helping children to develop, achieve and maintain great emotional health.
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 and strategies.
If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing please 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.
In some instances, we may need seek external specialised support and as a school we are able to signpost and provide contact details for specialised support in a wide variety of areas such as; anxiety, low mood and depression, transitions, sleep, bereavement etc.
Furthermore, we are currently an associate school and from September 2024, we will become a partnership school with the CONNECT Mental Health Support Team. The Connect team supports schools to develop their whole school approach to emotional wellbeing and signposts to other relevant services to ensure the needs of children and young people are met in a timely way.
The Connect team work with communities, schools, parents and carers and young people and the service aims to encourage early treatment and prevention to decrease the number of children and young people requiring long term mental health support. This is done by providing information, advice, guidance, and support.