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Mental Health & Wellbeing

One of our key aims is to foster a nurturing approach to positive behaviour, mental health and emotional well-being. We focus on developing children as well-rounded, happy, confident people. We follow the Five Rs whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing model, which fits with the NHS Five Ways to wellbeing model and our own values of Respect, Kindness, Ambition and Pride.

Five Rs Model

 

Five Rs model at The Lea Mental Health and Wellbeing

Five Ways to Wellbeing

Five ways to wellbeing at The Lea

Stormbreak activity areas at The Lea PrimaryWe know that physical health and mental wellbeing are interlinked, and we put great emphasis on teaching across the whole school so that pupils understand that good physical health contributes to good mental wellbeing. From September 2021 the whole school will be taking part in the Stormbreak programme of mentally health movement which fits well with our PSHE and PE curriculum focusing in heathy bodies and minds. It focuses on five key areas of Resilience, Relationships, Self-care, Self-worth and Hope and Optimism. The activities which take place at least once a day are well thought through, modelled well and each one introduces or repeats key mental health vocabulary by explaining what aspect the activity is working on and what it means. In this way we believe it will help children’s understanding of what good mental health means and how it can be achieved. It works alongside all the other wellbeing activities the children take part in which include:

  • Hertfordshire Steps therapeutic approach to behaviour management
  • Weekly celebration and sharing assemblies
  • Team points based on the ‘Five ways to wellbeing’
  • Headteacher’s Awards
  • Team point certificates and rewards from ‘The Golden Box’.
  • Class circle time
  • Philosophy for children
  • Mindfulness sessions
  • Growth mindset
  • Stormbreak programme of activities
  • Valuing pupil voice – through the school council and through pupil voice interviews and questionnaires
  • Modelling positive relationships between staff, pupils and parents and carers
  • Promotion of class and school rules as explained in the school’s Positive Behaviour Policy
  • Involvement in extra-curricular activities
  • Information regarding medical conditions is handled sensitively, in line with our policy, and the appropriate staff will be informed of specific needs.
  • Year 6 play leaders in the playground
  • ‘Meet & Greet’ at the beginning of AM and PM sessions with an adult for identified pupils
  • Social skills programmes run by experienced support staff
  • Indoor lunchtime area with activities and quiet space for children who fine lunchtimes tricky
  • Sensory breaks including use of our Sensory Walk to gain the sensory input they need in their bodies to stay alert, on task, and focused
  • Use of our Wellbeing Hub incorporating space for children who become dysregulated to rest, rebalance their emotions, access calming activities and tasks to reset and talk through their worries with an attuned adult
  • Worry Boxes in any classroom for children to use to let us know they want help
  • Mental Health Calendar of opportunities to celebrate or take time to reflect eg World Mental Health Day, Anti-Bullying Week, Healthy Eating Week
  • Feeling Good Week in February each year

We believe firmly in early identification of needs and provision of timely support.  For those children needing extra help we can access our Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) to understand and regulate their own emotions, learn to respect themselves and others around them and develop their personal resiliency. We can also access crisis counselling via Harpenden Plus Partnership and refer direct to CAMHS in consultation with parents.

Stormbreak at The Lea Primary