Our Aims and Principles for Mental Health and Wellbeing
At Pannal Primary School, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that our school community is a place where everyone feels able to, not only cope with adversities, but thrive.
The wellbeing of all our community members is at our core, whether that is staff, parents or pupils. Our school ethos and values are based on this and underpin everything we do within the curriculum, daily practise and our extra curricular activities. We promote positive mental health for all.
Our wellbeing Lead, Mrs Hill is trained as a Mental Health First Aider and Mrs Dent, our Pastoral support assistant is trained in ELSA (Emotional Literacy).
What is mental health?
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how 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 over time.
Most children grow up mentally healthy, but surveys suggest that more children and young people have problems with their mental health today than 30 years ago. It is thought that this is probably because of changes in the way that we live now and how that affects the experience of growing up.
What should I do if my child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health or wellbeing?
Positive mental health doesn't mean that people are happy all the time and neither does it mean you avoid stresses and potentially difficult situations. It just means you have the ability to cope with these situations or big emotions in a way that means you can bounce back.
One of the most important ways to help your child is to recognise this; listen to your child and take their feelings seriously.
Any negative feelings, big emotions or worries usually pass by just being heard. The saying is true " a problem shared is a problem halved" . However, it is helpful for the school to know what they are going through at these times, so that staff can be aware of the need and support this.
Coping and adjusting to setbacks are critical life skills for children, just as they are for adults, but it is important that they develop positive, rather than negative, coping skills.
If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing then, just as you would about any concerns that you have about their learning, come and talk to us. Sometimes children will need additional support for a short period – this may be in the form of a daily check-in with a trusted adult or time to talk through what they are feeling with our Pastoral Support Officer.
If your child is distressed for a long time, if their negative feelings are stopping them from getting on with their lives, if their distress is disrupting family life or if they are repeatedly behaving in ways, you would not expect at their age, then please speak to your child's teacher, Mrs. Turner or one of our staff. We are always hear to listen to you and offer our help and support to you and your family.