At Rattlesden, we believe that having a positive, mentally healthy school environment with a supporting and caring ethos, will give our children a sense of belonging and enable them to reach their full potential.
Young minds 2006 defines positive Mental Health and Wellbeing as having the strength and capacity of our minds to grow and develop, to be able to overcome difficulties and challenges and to make the most of our abilities and opportunities.
Mental health and wellbeing is linked to our emotions, psychological and social well being, it's about the way 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 with time and experiences. The latest research says that one in six children aged five to 16 were identified as having a probable mental health problem in July 2021, a huge increase from one in nine in 2017. That's five children in every classroom! Things that can help keep our children 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 and staff. ● Taking part in local activities for young people.
Other factors that are important, include: ● 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 strength to cope when something is wrong and the ability to solve problems.
At Rattlesden we support children through our PSHE curriculum. We teach them about what it means to have good mental health and wellbeing. We develop the children's social and emotional skills to help prevent poor mental health in the future, we give them coping strategies so they can effectively navigate through setbacks and remain healthy. We help them to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour and build skills such as working as a team, being persistent and being self- aware.
We recognise that everyone experiences challenges that can make them vulnerable at times. Anyone may need additional emotional support sometimes from our Learning Mentor Mrs Firth. Mrs Firth's role at Rattlesden is to remove any barriers to learning and promote well being so we have happy, healthy pupils. Parents can request their child to receive support from her, if they are going through a particularly difficult time in their life, or if they have any concerns about their child's mental health or wellbeing. Also, teachers are able to refer pupils they think would benefit from some additional support. The learning mentor helps children to understand their emotions and respect the feelings of those around them. She provides support for pupils experiencing parental separation, loss and bereavement. She also works with pupils to boost self esteem, enhance social skills and help with friendships. Mrs Firth may also support pupils with strategies to help with strong emotions, anger, behaviour and feelings of anxiety.
Hello Yellow
Raising money and awareness for young people’s mental health. We raised £96 for this wonderful cause.
Toxic Masculinity and Mental Health
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