Well-being

Introduction

All staff at New Ash Green are committed to supporting the ‘whole child’. We understand how important it is for us all to look after our mental health and well being.

The school has a Pastoral Team consisting of Mrs Davin (Deputy Head and Mental health lead), Mrs Goss (Inclusion Manager), Mrs Corley (Learning Mentor), Mrs Church (FLO) and Helen Sear (School Counsellor).

This page outlines how we do this in school and signposts parent/ carers to additional support.

In school support

We work hard at our school to ensure we have systems in place to promote good mental health and well- being.

We have systems to identify where extra support may be needed and to evaluate the impact of this support.

Timetable of Emotional Well-being for Parents and Carers

Parent Request for Support

Understanding Anxiety

Understanding ADHD

Transition to Secondary

Term 4 all workshops

Class level

We encourage all parents and carers to highlight or raise concerns about their child’s well- being and mental health with the class teacher or Family Liaison Officer.

Every child takes part in a daily check in to ensure all adults know how they are feeling and can follow up any concerns immediately.

All staff know and use the Six Ways to Well Being to support the planning of the curriculum. On a regular basis, teachers plan ways to develop children’s confidence to talk about their well- being and mental health.

On a termly basis, teachers review the children’s Leuven Scales to identify strengths and possible intervention needed. This information is reviewed with members of the Pastoral Team and Senior Leadership Team

Learning Mentor

Class teachers will make referrals to Mrs Corley, our learning mentor where it is felt than an additional intervention may support positive well-being and mental health.

This would be a short- term intervention, lasting approximately 8 weeks on a 1:1 basis.

Types of intervention: Lego Therapy, Listening Ear, ELSA, Draw and Talk. The class teacher will update parents on how children are progressing in an intervention with the Learning Mentor.

Play Therapy

In liaison with parents, the school can refer a child for specialised support with our School Counsellor, Giselle Ham. The children have the choice to come to weekly sessions, initially for six weeks, in a confidential, safe and fun space. The one to one sessions are child centred and offer the opportunity for children to share their thoughts and feelings through talking, art, music and movement, story telling and game playing.

Working with therapeutic techniques linked to play have been shown to be highly effective in supporting children who experience a range of challenges with their mental wellbeing.

Ladder (Feb 2022)

Emotional Well-Being Team

External links

Parents and carers – Kent Resilience Hub

Parents and carers can access a wide variety of resources, information and support through the Kent Resilience Hub website.

kentresiliencehub.org.uk

https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/

Sheffield Children’s NHS

Some useful resources to support mental health and children with additional needs

https://www.sheffieldchildrens.nhs.uk/patients-and-parents/coronavirus-resources-for-children-and-families/

Talking to your child about the Coronavirus

https://youngminds.org.uk/blog/talking-to-your-child-about-coronavirus/

Self-care strategies

The Anna Freud Centre.
A selection of self-care strategies that have been developed by young people to help manage their own wellbeing. During a time when access to regular appointments may be disrupted or anxiety might be heightened, it might be helpful to try one or some of these strategies

https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/self-care/

Feeling calm

A toolkbox of activities such as breathing exercises, coping videos, yoga videos and games that can help children feel calm in a period of disruption.

https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/calm-zone/

Newsround

How to cope when you can’t go to school because of the coronavirus – Newsround video

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51656718

Kooth

Kooth is a free online counselling and emotional well-being support service providing young people aged 10-16 years (up to 17th birthday) in Kent with a safe and secure means of accessing support with their emotional health and well-being needs, from a professional team of qualified counsellors.

www.kooth.com

Therapy Dog

Duggy has passed the Pets as Therapy assessment and is in school every Wednesday afternoon with his owner, Gemma Truman.

Duggy works with Gemma and pupils on a 1:1 basis. Gemma is trained and will facilitate sessions such as draw and talk, groomingDuggy, reading with Duggy.

Gemma has also undergone all the checks that school required to work in school. The school will seek permission from any pupil taking part in these on-to-one sessions.

Children can also access Duggy at lunchtime during a lunch club (no more than 4 children) which gives children the opportunity to get to know Duggy.

Well-being

Introduction

New Ash Green Primary School North Square New Ash Green Longfield Kent DA3 8JT

New Ash Green Primary School

North Square
New Ash Green
Longfield
Kent
DA3 8JT