Mental Health and Wellbeing

At our school, we aim to promote positive mental health for all our staff and pupils. We
pursue this aim using both universal, whole school approaches and specialised, targeted
approaches aimed at vulnerable pupils. In addition to promoting positive mental health,
we aim to recognise and respond to mental ill health. By developing and implementing
practical, relevant and effective mental health policies and procedures we can promote
a safe and stable environment for students affected both directly, and indirectly by
mental ill health.

We have a Mental Health and Wellbeing policy in place which aims to:
– Promote positive mental health in all staff and pupils
– Increase understanding and awareness of common mental health issues
– Alert staff to early warning signs of mental ill health
– Provide support to staff working with young people with mental health issues
– Provide support to pupils suffering mental ill health and their peers and carers.

To support this we have several key members of staff:
Lead Members of Staff include:
Michael Smith: Lead DSL
Nic Stewart: SENCO and DSL
Catherine Sadler-Barker: Mental Health Lead
Matthew Smith: DSL and HR Lead
Annette Maconochie DSL
Sue Barrell DSL
Rebecca Roach DSL
Supporting Members of Staff
– Well-being Team – Jake Millen, Natasha Patterson, Sarah Denton, Michael
Smith, Kitty Baker, Leia Henderson
– Mental Health Champions – Sue Barrell and Vicki Horne

Teaching about Mental Health
Our curriculum is built around individual pupils needs and aims to support pupils to be
physically and mentally healthy by developing the following skills, knowledge,
understanding as well as promoting certain characteristics, including:
– To understand their feelings
– To recognize their strengths
– To promote friendship
– To regulate themselves with decreasing support
– To achieve success
– To communicate effectively
– To express their needs and wants/to be listened to
– To build resilience
– To have enriching experiences
– To be involved in decisions that affect them (where appropriate)

Supporting your child’s mental health
As a minimum, all staff will receive regular training about recognising and responding to
mental health issues as part of the regular child protection training in order to enable
them to keep pupils safe.
School staff may become aware of warning signs, which indicate a pupil, or a
parent/carer is experiencing mental health or emotional wellbeing issues. These
warning signs will always be taken seriously and staff observing any of these will
communicate their concerns with a lead member of staff.
Our Family Support team (Sue Barrell and Vicky Horne) provide students, families and
professionals with a wealth of valuable support. They are trained in many different
mental health issues, including domestic violence, bereavement, specific medical
conditions (e.g. bi-polar, depression, PDA), trauma, stress awareness and conflict
resolution. Please see their webpage for further information and support. We also have
staff trained to support with self-harm.
In school, we have a wide range of therapies and resources to support pupils will their
mental health and wellbeing. This includes a fully equipped Sensory Enrichment room, a
Hydrotherapy pool, a Rebound therapy room, a Ball pool and soft play equipment. We
also have a range of outside professionals that visit the school weekly. This includes
the Benjamin Foundation, Play Therapy, Dance Therapy and Sound bath sessions. The
local SMHT also come into school to run six weekly sessions for a carefully selected
group of pupils. Alongside this each classroom has easy access to exercise and play
enriched outside environments, including outdoor gym equipment, a large trampoline, a
variety of swings, climbing frames and agility equipment. All hugely supportive to our
individual pupil’s needs, mental health and wellbeing. We also run regular whole school
SMSC days throughout the year, including the celebrations of World Smile Day and
World Mental Health day.

Sources of Support
The Just One Norfolk website contains a variety of advice and support for parents and
young people on issues such as emotional health and healthy lifestyles. They offer: The
Just One Number and a Text service for parents 07520 631590. They also offer a
free Solihull online learning course for parents.

The First Response 24/7 freephone line is for people in Norfolk and Suffolk and is for
anyone who feels their mental health is being adversely affected and need help. It is
staffed by mental health professionals from NSFT, to provide reassurance, self-help
advice, support and signposting.

Support on all Mental Health issues can be accessed via Young Minds
(www.youngminds.org.uk), Mind (www.mind.org.uk) and for e-learning opportunities
Minded (www.minded.org.uk).

Winston’s Wish is a charity that offers free, accessible online grief support to children
and young people (aged 25 or under) across the UK who are bereaved or facing the
death of someone important. You can get instant access to expert bereavement
support. They provide free, online tools, content, guides and publications and additional
tailored support for those who need it. They also offer guidance and resources for the
adults supporting bereaved children and young people, whether a parent, family
member, teacher, friend, or professional.