Mental Health and Wellbeing at St. Therese

“Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope, where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven.” Pope Francis

At St. Therese Catholic Primary School, we share this same vision of our previous Pope, Francis, and want our school community to be a place where everyone feels welcomed and loved. We aim to promote positive mental health and well-being for our whole school community. This includes the positive mental health and well-being for our children, staff, parents and carers.

Positive mental health and well-being is vital for all and impacts directly on our everyday lives and our capacity to realise and celebrate our abilities, our ability to achieve and our ability to thrive as productive members of the communities in which we live in and serve.

At St. Therese we recognise that children’s positive mental health and well-being are key components which promote learning, achievement and a positive sense of self.

We recognise that everyone will experience highs and lows in life and that some will experience significant life events and challenges.

We aim to help our children to build resilience, develop strategies for helping to recognise and take positive action where ill mental health and well-being is experienced.

We strive to be inclusive where all children, staff, parents and carers feel safe and welcomed.

Lead staff members to contact if you are concerned about your child’s mental health: 

Mr Ryan and Miss Lickess are accredited Senior Mental Health Leads and are responsible for overseeing, planning, evaluating, and implementing a school-wide strategy to support mental health for all pupils and staff. The role involves developing and implementing a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Mrs H Mannion is our trained (SENDCO)

Mrs Sherrington, Mr Colley and Mrs Mannion are trained Designated Safeguarding Leads.


All teaching staff are trained in supporting children and have trauma informed CPD to support them in their roles.

In the first instance always speak to your class teacher, who is your assigned first point of contact.

Our school offers a mentally healthy environment where children:

  • have opportunities to participate in activities that encourage belonging
  • have opportunities to participate in decision-making
  • have opportunities to celebrate academic and non-academic achievements
  • have their unique talents and abilities identified and developed
  • have opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
  • have opportunities to reflect
  • have access to appropriate support that meets their needs
  • have a right to be in an environment that is safe, clean, attractive and well cared for
  • are surrounded by adults who model positive and
  • appropriate behaviours, interactions and ways of relating at all times

We are a mentally healthy environment is a place where parents and carers:

  • are recognised for their significant contribution to children and young people’s mental health
  • are welcomed, included and work in partnership with schools and agencies
  • are provided with opportunities where they can ask for help when needed
  • are signposted to appropriate agencies for support
  • are clear about their roles and expectations of their responsibilities in working in partnership with schools
  • opinions are sought and valued and responded to
  • strengths and difficulties are recognised, acknowledged and challenged appropriately

We are a mentally healthy environment is a place where staff:

  • have their individual needs recognised and responded to in a holistic way
  • have a range of strategies that support their mental health, e.g. a named person to speak to, signposting
  • have recognition of their work-life balance
  • have the mental health and well-being of the whole staff reviewed regularly
  • feel valued and have opportunities to contribute to decision-making processes
  • celebrate and recognise success
  • are able to carry out roles and responsibilities effectively
  • are provided with opportunities for CPD both personally and professionally
  • have their unique talents and skills recognised and opportunities are provided for development
  • have time to reflect
  • can access proactive strategies and systems to support them at times of emotional needs in both the short term and the long term

Wellbeing support at St. Therese:

Universal Support

In school, we promote and celebrate the learning to learn values of being resilient, forming good relationships, risk-taking, being reflective, resourceful and respectful. To try to meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum. For instance, developing resilience for all through our whole school offer and our planned experiences and curriculum.  We also offer additional support – For those who may have short-term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as bereavement. 

Targeted Support

For children that might, at times, need a little extra support, we can offer more specialised provision that might include play therapy and counselling, therapeutic work or working with external agencies such as CAMHS, Alliance and the Bungalow Project.

We have an ‘open door’ policy and are keen to hear if you have concerns or worries about mental health and well-being.

We believe that healthy, happy children have the greatest potential to become active, engaged citizens who achieve success academically and socially. The school’s drive to promote positive wellbeing and mental health for pupils, staff and the wider community is evident in all aspects of school life. Here are other specific ways that we support our pupils in growing healthy minds and resilience:

  • All year groups have a curricular focus on PSHE – Personal, Social, Health Education with lessons during which children can talk about social issues at school and in the wider community.
  • All staff are trained in supporting mental health and wellbeing of children and young people
  • All classes receive weekly PE lessons with a specialist sports coach as physical health also improves mental health
  • Wrap-around care for all children
  • St. Therese pupils’ opinions and ideas are highly valued and our surveys show that the children are happy and feel secure and safe in school
  • The School Council is an active forum through which children discuss issues and put forward ways to improve the school.
  • Pupil Leadership through Well-being Warriors so their voice and leadership is developed
  • The consistent use of our behaviour policy by all staff ensures that children feel that their thoughts and feelings are valued by staff.
  • Mental Health promotion weeks and initiatives are used to remove the stigma around mental health and develop a growth mindset in our children
  • Children are empowered to take responsibility and to be part of the process in matters of their behaviour. When things go wrong, it is important that children are able to talk about it openly so they are reflective and they feel supported.
  • Sports Leaders provide roles of responsibility that the children take very seriously and give the children valuable life skills.
  • Throughout the school day, staff plan for and seek out opportunities to ensure that children are in a positive frame of mind and enjoying their learning and social experiences at school.
  • A wide range of extra-curricular activities are provided to give all children a chance to share their gifts and talents. Assembles, as well as a range of music and drama performances, workshops and trips offer opportunities for expression in many different ways.

What do I do if I am worried about my child’s mental health or wellbeing?

You can:

  • Go to your GP as a first port of call as they are a useful place to gain medical support and signposting of local services, or speak to a School Nurse. Referrals for the School Nurse service can be made both through your GP and through school. 
  • Talk to your child’s class teacher about your child’s needs or your concerns.
  • Talk to the school’s SENDCOs
  • Young Minds – The Parents Helpline is available to offer advice to anyone worried about a child or young person under 25. You may have questions about a child’s behaviour, emotional well-being, or mental health condition. You may have a child who’s already been admitted to CAMHS and have questions about their treatment or want to know what to say to your GP when you visit them. Call 0808 802 5544 or visit the website.
  • Early Help – children and family well-being service. https://www.stockton.gov.uk/article/5814/Help-and-support-services

 

For information and resources re: understanding and improving mental health and well-being, contact MIND. Tel: 0300 123 3393   https://www.mind.org.uk/

NHS Resources
Here are a few simple ways you can encourage your child to express themselves. Could you build on existing interests or passions? Think about what has helped them get through the past year. A love of dancing? Baking? Drawing? Fashion? Encourage your child by

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/– A public health England and NHS site to help people take simple steps to look after their mental health, improve their mental wellbeing and support others.

 

Useful links
Some useful resources that you could use at home to support your child’s mental health are below:

Further information: