Wellbeing and Mental Health

The last couple of years have been a strange and challenging and  everyone will cope with things differently. Margaret Wix Primary School recognises that parents and carers might need some additional support to overcome some of the issues that arise within this time. Hopefully, you will find the resources below useful.

Remember, if you have any questions or would like some further support or advice, please contact any member of school staff.

As a school, we take mental health and wellbeing very seriously.  We are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils, staff and school community. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

A child's mental health and wellbeing is as important as their physical health and we promote its importance within our curriculum and through the support we offer our children. All of our staff build positive relationships with all of our children and we pride ourselves in supporting each other and knowing everyone very well being sensitive to needs and changes. 

We promote and support children’s positive mental health by offering information and advice for our parents and our pupils, signposts to further specialist agencies and some suggestions for activities which develop emotional literacy, with a strong focus on social and emotional aspects of learning. These include self-awareness, managing feelings, motivation, empathy and social skills. We often carry out days and weeks focusing on positive mental health. 

We look at building resilience and critical thinking and issues such as social media representation and how we deal with the stresses of modern day life.

We are fortunate to have a counselling service through Safe Space and our counsellor sees children each Monday in school for as long as each individual requires. We also have a male mentor that works hard to build relationships with children that may need more assistance in building relationships and reaching their potential in class. Our Family Support Worker supports many of our families, helping them to navigate their way through challenging times in their home lives. In addition to all of these interventions, Miss Sikandari runs Sunshine Club each Tuesday lunchtime. This club is a place where children who see themselves as carers at home, can enjoy a peaceful lunch together and a creative activity of their choice. 

Everyday life can sometimes be tricky, and it can make children feel sad, lonely, worried, nervous, angry plus many other emotions. Whilst these are 'normal' and part of what makes us human, they can leave children feeling deregulated and unsure of how to express their feelings — sometimes they don't have the words.  Often we may see a resulting behaviour which gives an outward clue that a child may need some help.

To support children in managing their feelings, each class has a box to post their worry into. They can simply post their name into the box on a post-it note. The child will then be offered some time to talk away from other children. 

What are the Zones of Regulation?
Learning to identify and regulate emotions is a big job, especially for young children! The children at Margaret Wix Primary School are learning about the ‘Zones of Regulation’ which is a model to help children identify their feelings, identify which ‘zone’ they belong to and allow them to regulate their own feelings and behaviours. 

We describe these zones using the colours blue, green, yellow and red.

We teach our children how to read their body’s signals, detect triggers, read social context, and consider how their behaviours impact those around them. We teach our children that there are no bad zones to be in and that it is ok to be in any one zone.

Below is a link to a video to help you understand the different zones.

Wellbeing in the Curriculum

Pupil wellbeing is embedded in everything we do at Margaret Wix. 

Check out some of the most recent wellbeing activities in school...

Assemblies are an important feature of the school week and we share important messages about wellbeing and mental health linked to our Jigsaw theme of the week.

Please see below useful links to support your child's wellbeing.

• Mental health resources for children, students, parents, carers and school/college staff - The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)

• https://www.familylives.org.uk/how-we-can-help/confidential-helpline/

• Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

• https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/how-to-find-a-therapist/#.WZ6x_7pFzRM%C2%A0

• https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/resources/gingerbread-for-single-parents/?page=1&IssuePageId=1301

• https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/school-resources/find-your-feet-transition-tips-for-parents/

• https://www.mencap.org.uk/

• https://booksbeyondwords.co.uk/

CONNECT –With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community.

BE ACTIVE –Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance.

TAKE NOTICE -Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling.

KEEP LEARNING –Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food.

GIVE -Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in.

CREATE -Make something, take something from one state to another, so you can see the progress that you have made. DIY, knitting, sewing, writing (songs, poetry, a blog), painting, drawing, Jigsaws, gardening, baking, flower arranging, photography, woodwork, metalwork, scrapbooking, debating, puzzles, or even the ironing!

Margaret Wix Primary School is fully committed to supporting pupils affected by loss and death in a supportive and caring environment in which everyone can respond appropriately to individual circumstances. Find out how we can further support your child, as a school, following a bereavement.

Please find below some resources that you may find useful in supporting your child with a bereavement.

If your child/children have suffered the bereavement of a family member, please find details of support from the charity 'Winston's Wish' here. 

Badger's Parting Gift - a gentle story about loss and bereavement and about how a group of friends remember all the wonderful memories about their friend who has died.

The 'Young Minds' organisation has ideas that can help you to support your child following a bereavement during the COVID pandemic.

As a school we can refer children to CRUSE to some targetted support, please contact Mrs Campbell-Pugh if you feel that your child requires some outside agency support.