Mental Health and Wellbeing
We know the importance of enabling pupils to be resilient and happy by supporting good mental health and wellbeing. Our Christian ethos and calm nurturing approach has an impact on the wellbeing of everyone at St Andrew’s.
Our Enrichment Curriculum for every child from Year 1- 6 supports the development and wellbeing of every child. Giving all children an opportunity to enjoy and experience extra curricular activities and gain new skills.
Our Mental Health Lead Teachers’ at St Andrew’s are
Mr Alletson
Mrs Kirk
Wellbeing Award for Schools
This award focuses on the long-term culture of the whole school with mental health and wellbeing sitting at the heart of your school life.
At St Andrew’s we promote the five ways to wellbeing
Connect
Connect with people around you.
Be active
Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
Keep learning
Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence.
Give
Give to those in need or even giving a smile, a thank you or a kind word.
Take notice
Be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.
We support and promote positive mental health and wellbeing in the following ways:
Our universal offer made to all learners, creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are supported. Improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school and equipping everyone to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life. This includes teaching pupils about mental wellbeing through our PSHE curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and our Christian school ethos.
We want to support children in school and increase children’s capacity to help themselves and reduce instances of poor mental health. We provide a nurture approach as well as wellbeing and mental health strategies to support children. Every classroom has a wellbeing wall and a worry box. The children know their worries can be shared and listen too by all the staff. Our wellbeing champions promote positive mental health and wellbeing across the school.
We hold an annual ‘Wellbeing Summit’ with all the other schools within the Watergrove Trust to celebrate our Mental Health Champions and share ways to meet the 5 ways to wellbeing. Learners from across the Trust come together to build relationships, skills and expertise in this area.
Useful Links
Local links for Rochdale:
Mental health and wellbeing resources and services for children and young people in Rochdale
Mental health and wellbeing resources and services for children and young people in Rochdale
Rochdale Emotional and Mental Health Services
Support for children and young people who are experiencing emotional health and wellbeing issues
Advice for parents and carers: talking mental health with children at primary school
tmh-parent-leaflet-final-web-updated-by-ed-april-2020.pdf
A tip sheet for parents and carers sharing advice on talking about mental health with primary school children.
Managing difficult emotions – Young Minds & Beano
MANAGING DIFFICULT EMOTIONS – Beano for Schools
This lesson teaches children aged 3 to 11 about different ways to cope when they experience difficult emotions.
My self-care plan: primary
my-self-care-plan-primary.pdf
Children can identify activities that they can use to improve their mood with this self-care plan.
Raising Rochdale Emotional Health and Wellbeing Offer
This contains information about wider services that can offer advice, support and guidance if you are worried about your child’s emotional health and wellbeing.
National links:
Wellbeing advice for all those supporting children and young people.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Call 0800 1111 to get help and advice about a wide range of issues or to talk to a counsellor online.
Content targeted to under 12s
A range of resource that children can use to reduce stress
Easy ways to eat well and move more
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge support new Every Mind Matters advice for looking after mental wellbeing
Movement and mindfulness videos
An educational resource for all adults on children and young people’s mental health.
Advice on supporting grieving children during the coronavirus outbreak
Outside the Box has produced a free activity journal to help children to enhance their mental wellbeing through a range of activities
The UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people’s mental health.