Children's Mental Health & Wellbeing
Children’s Mental Health and Wellbeing
At Bilston Church of England Primary School, we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing throughout our school and wider community. Our devoted team have a duty to ensure children’s mental health is paramount and at the forefront of their education. We believe in creating a positive learning environment to be able to build and instil the foundations for a successful education at our school and beyond.
Whole School Approach
To support our children’s mental health, our staff members and children follow our whole school approach by using the ‘Zones of Regulation’. This approach is designed to help our children to achieve a state of emotional control and self-regulation. The ‘Zones of Regulation’ consists of four different coloured areas; each of these portray the child’s feelings. Each classroom from Year 1-Year 6 has a check in zone board and at the very start of the day, children are encouraged to place their name/picture/emoji on the relevant zone. This allows our staff to initiate conversations with children who wish to discuss their thoughts and feelings privately. The aim is to then see children throughout the day move to more of a positive zone encouraging positive feelings. In reception, we use the story ‘Colour Monsters’ to which also has the same approach as ‘Zones of regulation’. Children can access the ‘Colour Monsters’ in the Calm Corner where they are able to reflect on their emotions during periods of over stimulation.
Mental Health Awareness
At Bilston CofE, we pride ourselves on supporting our children’s mental health and well-being in various ways. Through our PSHE/RSE curriculum, we promote positive mental health covering a variety of different topics that children can engage in and discuss. Each year, we come together as a school community to raise awareness for children’s mental health and well-being by celebrating ‘World Mental Health Day’, ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’ and ‘Anti-Bullying Week’. During these events, our children will work together to participate in activities and group discussions targeting the specific topic of mental health. We also host whole school and class assemblies to spread the message throughout the school environment giving opportunities for the children to support one and another. We promote pupil voice and children speaking up on their thoughts, feelings and views within our school community.
Bespoke Support
At Bilston CE Primary School, our dedicated team share a passion for supporting our children and their families. We are proud to have such a hardworking and diligent pastoral team that provide the foundations for positive mental health and well-being in our school. Pastoral care is a fundamental strategy to building a pragmatic mindset in our children. Our pastoral team work closely with colleagues to recognise children’s barriers to learning and provide methods of support to help overcome those areas of difficulty particularly when there is a significant decline in a child’s mental health.
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Staff will identify these children to the mental health team in school who will then decide on the next course of intervention for a child. We source extra support for these children and identify what the need is with the aim of improving their wellbeing. School will work with additional agencies who specialise in mental health issues to try and break down the barriers. We work with specialist services such as CAMHS and therapeutic services such as Base 25, counselling services, Black Country Women’s Aid, Barnardo’s and Young Minds. School have also funded opportunities such as Art Therapy, Animal Therapy, Lego Therapy sessions and Martial Art programmes to provide a stimulating environment for children to communicate their emotions without feeling the pressure of conversing with others.
Peer Support
Within our school, children from Year 6 are given the responsibility of becoming a part of the ‘Peer Support Mentor Group’. Click here for more details.
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We also have a School Council group that are the advocates for pupil voice and help to encourage our children to speak up. They also help our local community by giving back and supporting charities.
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Digital ambassadors look at how to keep their peers safe online and encourage positive engagement with one and another. They know the impact that negative words and engagement can have on a young person, and they are there to help assist with concerns which can affect a peer’s mental health. Click here for more details.
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Bilston CofE is a Christian school promoting all faiths and cultures. Our new reflection garden is used for children to pray and unwind practicing mindfulness should they become overstimulated. The garden is a calm zone, used to relax and take the opportunity to simply breathe. Children can access this area with staff supervision.
Extra Curricular
At our school, we see the benefits of extra-curricular activities on children’s mental health allowing them to express themselves through their own interests, building confidence and self-esteem and creating a culture of positive interactions with other children for their social wellbeing. We offer a broad range of activities free of charge across the academic year that suit the children’s interests.
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If you have concerns about your child’s mental health, please arrange a meeting to speak to the Senior Mental Health Lead Miss Wootton.
