Mental Health and Wellbeing

At All Saints’ School we believe that children’s emotional and mental health is equally as important as their physical health. It is our aim to equip all our children with understanding, knowledge and tools to look after their emotional health. We all nurture this important aspect of our children’s development, from Foundation Stage through to Year 6.

Super Saints’ Emotional Support

We are lucky to have some fantastic mental health ambassadors at our school who facilitate wonderful activities for our children to support wellbeing and mental health.

Mrs Barker runs Forest School sessions on a Wednesday morning for our KS1 children, where they spend time outside exploring nature, working collaboratively and most importantly looking after their mental wellbeing. The children love these sessions and the benefits it has for the children are extremely apparent. During the summer term, some of our KS2 children have also accessed Mrs Barker’s Forest School sessions.

In addition to this, we run two groups for children who may benefit: ‘Understanding our Emotions’ and ‘Anxiety and Worry’. These workshops have been devised carefully and are tailored specifically for children. Each group is full of fun activities to help them learn more about their thoughts, feelings and behaviours whilst equipping and empowering them with tools to manage big emotions. Miss Jeffrey works with our children in KS2 in groups or 1-1 depending on individual needs. Children have opportunities to share their emotions or worries in a safe space and learn new strategies to cope with these feelings.

Miss Gilroy leads our ARTiculate support programme. ARTiculate is a way of supporting children through art. The approach has been designed to support learning and to be a safe, supportive environment for the child where they are listened to and their views, feelings and art expressions are welcomed and respected. The sessions encourage imagination and creativity whilst also potentially helping to lower anxiety, support relationship building, increasing self-esteem and confidence as well as helping children understand and manage their feelings.

If a teacher considers that this approach may help a child, the parent will be consulted and a consent form will be sent home to be signed. The child usually has around 6 sessions either 1-1 or in small groups.

ARTiculate is not Art Therapy but is the therapeutic use of art adapted to support emotional literacy, endorsed by BAAT – The British Association of Art Therapists.

The sessions are led by Miss Gilroy, an experienced Teaching Assistant and artist. She has been on the BAAT ARTiculate training to advanced level and well as completing the ‘Drawing and Talking’ training.

ARTiculate

ARTiculate is a way of supporting children through art. The approach has been designed to support learning and to be a safe, supportive environment for the child where they are listened to and their views, feelings and art expressions are welcomed and respected. The sessions encourage imagination and creativity whilst also potentially helping to lower anxiety, support relationship building, increasing self-esteem and confidence as well as helping children understand and manage their feelings.

ARTiculate is not Art Therapy but is the therapeutic use of art adapted to support emotional literacy, endorsed by BAAT – The British Association of Art Therapists.

What should I do if I am concerned about my child’s mental health or well-being?

Talk to us!

At All Saints’, we have systems in place to identify possible mental health and wellbeing concerns. Our aim is to create a safe and supportive environment for children in which they feel confident to articulate their worries and ultimately prevent any further mental health issues developing.

If you have any queries or concerns about your child’s mental health or the provision in school, please do not hesitate to get in touch by contacting your child’s class teacher via the school office.

Useful websites

GR8 Minds

GR8 Minds provides counselling services for childrena nd young people. Parent’s can refer their child directly from this page. Children’s counselling can help with the following:

a mental health condition, such as depression, anxiety or an eating disorder
an upsetting physical health condition
a difficult life event, such as a bereavement, a relationship breakdown or problems at school
difficult emotions – for example, low self-esteem or anger
other issues, such as sexual identity

All Saints' C of E Primary School

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