Mental Health & Wellbeing

At Marner, we focus on the needs of the whole child and teach children that their mental health and wellbeing is just as important as their physical health. We look at ways children can improve their mental health and wellbeing and talk about who their trusted adults are they can go to if they feel a big emotion. We also explore other ways they can manage their big emotions themselves to make sure they don’t impact on their day to day lives and learning in school. 

Jigsaw Curriculum

At Marner Primary School, we believe every child deserves an education that prepares them not only for academic success but also to thrive as rounded individuals in modern society by preparing them for all the opportunities, challenges, life decisions and responsibilities they'll face. Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education sits at the heart of this commitment.

Jigsaw is based on mindfulness philosophy and practice and brings together PSHE Education, emotional literacy, social skills and spiritual development in a comprehensive scheme of learning. It is designed as a whole school approach, with all year groups working on the same theme (Puzzle) at the same time.

Jigsaw holds children at its heart and aims to improve children’s capacity to learn, their resilience, emotional well-being and mental health. 

The Healthy Me unit, taught in the Spring Term,  covers two main areas of health: Emotional/mental health (relaxation, being safe, friendships, mental health skills, body image, relationships with food, managing stress) and Physical health (eating a balanced diet, physical activity, rest and relaxation, keeping clean, drugs and alcohol, being safe, first aid).  Children are taught the importance of looking after not only their physical health, but the importance of looking after their mental health and wellbeing too. 

Zones of Regulation

All children are taught how to identify and manage a range of emotions through the four Zones of Regulation. The Zones of Regulation catergorise all the different ways we feel and states of alertness into four concrete coloured zones. They provide a system of self-regulation to help pupils self-regulate in both the classroom and playground, so they feel in the best frame of mind both in body and emotionally for learning and in specific situations. Children are taught that throughout the day they may feel different emotions and be in different zones and that’s OK. They are taught how to manage their emotions through a range of strategies, moving between different zones successfully through self-regulation of their emotions to continue their day and learning.

All children are taught about the different zones through PSHE lessons, oracy sessions and in assemblies. Visuals to support children to identify their emotional state are displayed in each classroom, where they can move their names independently to show what emotion they are feeling at different times. The zones are revisited every September and adults regularly model to children how to use the zones to describe and regulate their behaviour and emotions. 

More information on the Zones of Regulation can be found below attachment 1.

https://www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/media/1001858/Zones-of-Regulation.pdf 

 

Assemblies & Events

Each year we mark significant days that highlight the importance of talking about and looking after our mental health and wellbeing. Each year we learn about:

World Mental Health Day 

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/world-mental-health-day 

Children’s Mental Health Week 

https://www.place2be.org.uk/about-us/childrens-mental-health-week/ 

Mental Health Awareness Week 

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week 

Please find links to assembly slide packs for Children’s Mental Health Week below attachment 2 and World Mental Health Day below attachment 3.

 

Links to the UNCRC Rights of the Child

Article 24 (Health and Health Services) 

Every child has the right to the best possible health. Governments must provide good quality health care, clean water, nutritious food, and a clean environment and education on health and well-being so that children can stay healthy. Richer countries must help poorer countries achieve this. 

In previous years we have taken part in the OutRight campaign, focusing on Mental Health & Wellbeing. OutRight is a youth campaign run by UNICEF UK that helps children and young people to speak out about children’s rights in the UK and abroad.

 

Tower Hamlets Education Wellbeing Service (THEWS)

THEWS is a service in Tower Hamlets which helps to improve wellbeing for children and young people. We have been working with THEWS since September 2022 and our current education wellbeing practitioner, Aramide, works directly with the families and children who are referred to THEWS by us as a school. 

Aramide, along with her colleagues, has also delivered parent coffee mornings and workshops. Please find the attached slide packs from these meetings below attachment 4 and 5.

THEWS has three key aims:

• To help children and young people aged 5-19 years old to get earlier access to wellbeing and mental health support

• To help schools to promote wellbeing in school

• To work alongside and link in with other services providing wellbeing and mental health support

What THEWS can offer?

• Parent led support for parents who are concerned about early signs of anxiety or behavioural difficulties in their child. This can be delivered via- 1:1 sessions, workshops or group sessions

• Signposting to other services and support and help getting in contact with them

• Workshops on a variety of topics related to emotional and mental wellbeing in children

How to get support?

Contact Mr Stuart (Assistant Headteacher) for more information or to discuss a referral to THEWS. We currently have an in house waiting list as our education wellbeing practitioner can only work with 2 families at a time. 

You can find out more about THEWS by visiting the website https://www.elft.nhs.uk/thews  or by reading the Parent Guide below attachment 6.  

 

Helpful websites for supporting mental health and wellbeing

Place2Be - https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/ 

Childline - https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/your-feelings/ 

YoungMinds - https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/ 

Mind - https://www.mind.org.uk/

Anna Freud - https://www.annafreud.org/ 

Mental Health Foundation - https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health 

NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/advice-for-families/ 

The Education Hub - https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2021/09/mental-health-resources-for-children-parents-carers-and-school-staff/