Mental Wellbeing

EPS School Statement on Mental Health & Wellbeing

The focus in primary school should be on teaching the characteristics of good physical health and mental wellbeing. At Eastlands we are clear that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health.

This starts with pupils being taught about the benefits and importance of daily exercise, good nutrition and sufficient sleep, and giving pupils the language and knowledge to understand the normal range of emotions that everyone experiences. This should enable pupils to articulate how they are feeling, develop the language to talk about their bodies, health and emotions and judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate for the situations that they experience.

Teachers also talk about the steps pupils can take to protect and support their own and others’ health and wellbeing, including simple self-care techniques, personal hygiene, prevention of health and wellbeing problems and basic first aid. Strategies such as mindfulness are used.

Emphasis is given to the positive two-way relationship between good physical health and good mental wellbeing, and the benefits to mental wellbeing of physical exercise and time spent outdoors.

Pupils should also be taught the benefits of hobbies, interests and participation in their own communities. This teaching should make clear that people are social beings and that spending time with others, taking opportunities to consider the needs of others and practising service to others, including in organised and structured activities and groups (for example the scouts or girl guide movements), are beneficial for health and wellbeing.  Service is a valued element of many faiths.

Pupils are taught about the benefits of rationing time spent online and the risks of excessive use of electronic devices. In later primary school, pupils are taught why social media, computer games and online gaming have age restrictions and should be equipped to manage common difficulties encountered online.

Our aspiration is: - by the end of primary school:

Mental wellbeing

Pupils should know:

• that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health
• that there is a normal range of emotions (e.g. happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, nervousness) and scale of emotions that all humans experience in relation to different experiences and situations
• how to recognise and talk about their emotions, including having a varied vocabulary of words to use when talking about their own and others’ feelings
• how to judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate
• the benefits of physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation, voluntary and service-based activity on mental wellbeing and happiness
• simple self-care techniques, including the importance of rest, time spent with friends and family and the benefits of hobbies and interests
• isolation and loneliness can affect children and that it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support
• that bullying (including cyberbullying) has a negative and often lasting impact on mental wellbeing
• where and how to seek support (including recognising the triggers for seeking support), including whom in school they should speak to if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing or ability to control their emotions (including issues arising online)
• it is common for people to experience mental ill health. For many people who do, the problems can be resolved if the right support is made available, especially if accessed early enough

Also see;-

https://ssscpd.co.uk/education/parentsandguardians/child-mental-health-10-tips-for-parents/-/pj==s