Mental Health & Wellbeing at St Gregory's
At St Gregory’s we are dedicated to looking after our pupil’s mental health and wellbeing. We know that all children benefit from positive mental health and some children need a little extra support.
What is Mental Health?
“The emotional and spiritual resilience which allows us to enjoy life and survive pain, disappointment and sadness. It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our own or others’ dignity and worth.”
– World Health Organisation
Our team
Mental Health Lead – Mrs Thornthwaite
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant – Miss Burr
Counsellor – Debbie Johnston
Trainee Educational Mental Health Practitioner – Andrea Menzies
Mental Health Support Team in school
We are very lucky to be one of the schools in Allerdale to be supported by The Mental Health Support Team.
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is a jointly funded national programme between Department for Education and NHS to provide early intervention and evidence based interventions for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health difficulties, working directly into education settings.
The MHST’s have 3 core functions:
1. To provide direct support to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues
2. To support educational settings to introduce or develop their whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing
3. To help advise staff in educational settings and liaise with external specialist services to help children and young people get the right support and stay in education
Our Mental Health Support Team practitioner is Andrea Menzie.
If you would like to know more about this service please contact Mrs Thornthwaite on 01900 606050.
What do we do to promote mental health and wellbeing?
At St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School we use a three-tiered approach to mental health and wellbeing. We know that all children benefit from positive mental health and some children need a little extra support. You can find more information about this in the Documents section at the bottom of this page.
Other ways we promote Health and Wellbeing in School include:
- a school with caring and dedicated staff
- a school ethos inspired by Gospel Values and the teachings of Jesus, which has children’s social and emotional well-being at the heart of it;
- a Designated Mental Health Lead, Mrs Thornthwaite;
- a team of trained Youth Mental Health First Aiders;
- all staff trained in Understanding Mental Health
- A specialist, wellbeing room;
- a specially-trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA);
- a professional counsellor, who runs one-to-one sessions with specific children;
- a Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner who provides low intensity interventions such as guided self help based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as well as supporting initiatives aimed at preventing mental health problems.
- whole school assembly themes to promote and mental health and wellbeing;
- worry slips available for children to easily request support from a trusted adult;
- circle time sessions in all year groups;
- annual workshop sessions with ‘The Education Life Bus’
- marking World Mental Health Day and Mental Health Awareness Week in school;
- a comprehensive range of health and sporting activities across the curriculum and in after-school clubs
- a behaviour system that employs a restorative approach and a reward system (using class dojo) that encourages children to embody our school values to be kind, caring and considerate towards others.
The sensory room
The sensory room is a calm space and is open to all children to access throughout the day. We support the children using co-regulation. The aim of The Sensory Room is for the children to recognise when they need some calming time which then enables them to get back in to a positive frame of mind so they can access their learning, successfully. Children can also access this area when they come into school in the morning and before they leave at the end of the day. This room helps some children to transition from home to school and school to home.
Calm start
This time enables all children to regulate their emotions before they begin their learning. During calm start we use relaxing activities such as art, colouring, yoga and mindfulness to prepare the children for the day ahead.
Pastoral time
Children can access pastoral time with Miss Ireland, our Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). This may be a timetabled group focusing on themes such as friendships, emotional regulation, social skills or confidence, it may be a bespoke activity for a child, a snack and chat group, a sensory/movement break or simply some time out of the class if a child needs it.
Counselling
Mrs Johnston is our school based counsellor.
Counselling offers a safe, confidential place for children to talk about experiences that may be confusing, painful or uncomfortable.
These experiences may exist within their own home, community or at school. Typically they will be impacting upon the child, their relationships and their readiness to learn.
Mrs Johnston uses a combination of therapeutic play, art therapy and talking therapy. She establishes a therapeutic relationship with the child through acceptance, trust and empathy which provides children with an opportunity to express and process feelings at their own level and pace.
Evidence indicates that counselling in schools can underpin academic achievement, improve behaviour and concentration as well as improving the general well-being of children and young people.
The counselling sessions are around 45 minutes, once a week and progress will be reviewed after 6 sessions.
Children can be referred for a variety of reasons including:
- Loss/bereavement
- Depression / low self-esteem
- Relationship issues
- Family breakdown
- Emotional issues
- Anger / physical violence
- Anxiety/stress
- Bullying
- Diagnosed conditions
Wellbeing at home
Our children’s mental health and wellbeing is so important. Why not try our 14 day wellbeing challenge with your child and take some time to focus on the positives?
You can find the 14 Day Wellbeing Challenge Pack in the Documents section at the bottom of this page. Paper copies are also available at school.
Sources of support
Mental Health Crisis Team – 0300 500 0927
CALM Helpline – 0800 585 858
Young Minds Parents Helpline – 0808 802 5544
Hopeline UK – 0800 068 4141
Useful links