Wellbeing
Statement of Intent for Mental Health and Wellbeing
Our Vision
At Portswood Primary School, we are dedicated to establishing a safe and caring environment in which children can learn. We want children to be confident and independent learners and to care about themselves, other people and the world around them. We are all aware that positive mental health is key to achieving, and we are committed to ensuring that an ethos of positive mental health is at the heart of all that we do.
Our Key Principles
In an ever-changing world, positive mental health is key to everyone’s wellbeing and quality of life. It allows us to respond effectively to the challenges that daily life brings.
At Portswood, all children are viewed as lifelong learners. We believe that developing a mastery of skills that can be transferable enables self-confidence and creativity. This in turn helps foster a sense of pride and achievement as well as develop a ‘can do’ attitude when children are faced with adversity. Our curriculum is not only the subjects on the timetable, it is the whole experience of education.
We actively promote the learner qualities of independence, cooperation, resilience, reflection and thinking.
We foster a culture of teamwork: working with each other in our school and with the wider community. Our house system and school council bring an added sense of connectedness, belonging and community between children and also between staff and children.
Whatever difficulties our children, their families, our staff or the community may face, we are committed to trying to support everyone to make a real positive difference to their lives.
Our Aims and objectives
To have a whole school approach to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing within a culture of high expectations and support for all staff and children.
To ensure that, through the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing, our children are helped to understand and express their feelings, build their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore, their capacity to learn.
To have a committed staff team that sets a whole school culture of positive mental health and wellbeing, and that hold values that everyone understands, believes in and is prepared to strive for.
To increase the awareness and understanding and reduce the stigma amongst children, staff and our wider community of issues involving the mental health and wellbeing of young people and to provide support at an early stage to any child who is or appears to be suffering from mental health issues.
To ensure that, embedded within our curriculum, we are enabling our children to become kind, healthy, responsible and confident members of society. Children will understand how they are developing personally and socially and many of the moral, social, and cultural issues that are part of growing up will be tackled with compassion and respect. They will be provided with opportunities to learn about rights and responsibilities and to appreciate what it means to live and thrive as part of a diverse society.
This Intent Statement sits alongside our Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy.
MHST
The MHST web page, with information about the referral criteria and a service description. The Mental Health in Schools Team (MHST) are funded through the NHS. They work with schools and colleges to support pupils with mental health and wellbeing , treating mild – moderate emotional wellbeing difficulties. More information about the service can be found here:
Southampton Mental Health In Schools Team (MHST) | Solent
And their most recent primary age newsletter
https://online.flippingbook.com/view/291749037/
If anyone has concerns about their child’s mental health and wellbeing and think the service may be able to offer support, please contact Mr Howie for further information.
Nuffield Health
Nuffield Health offer some information for parents and young people regarding their mental health and wellbeing. Nuffield Health’s advice for supporting children’s wellbeing with some useful strategies and information regarding wellbeing can be found here:
https://www.nuffieldhealth.com/kidswellbeing
Re:Minds
Re:Minds is a Southampton based organisation supporting families of children with Autism, ADHD and/or mental health issues (no diagnosis is needed). Their aim is to allow people whose children face similar issues to meet up in an informal setting to share knowledge and talk about any challenges our families are facing. For further information follow the link below to their website:
The Avenue Centre
A Charity and part of the yearly help offering commissioned by SCC funded by Children in need and other grants.
The Avenue Centre offer “a group run setting where we support parents with positive parenting, confidence/self-esteem, building positive relationships and keeping themselves and their children safe, child behaviour and development and many other relevant topics.”
This is referral only service but if you wanted support being referred, contact Mr Howie for advice.
Southampton Psychology Service
The Southampton Psychology Service are currently offering a Telephone consultation service for parents and carers of children and young people with social communication difficulties.
For more information, click on the link below:
Southampton Psychology Service - Parent Telephone Consultation
Southampton Information Directory (SID)
The Southampton Information Directory has information and links to a whole range of services and offers that are available within the city. Below is a screenshot of some of the information available.
The National Sleep Helpline
Sure Start Family Hubs/Parenting Offer...
Sure Start Family Hubs/Parenting Offer...
SEND Local Offer Newsletter
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