Loxdale Primary School is excited to announce that we are working towards the Award Place: Wellbeing Award for Schools. Emotional wellbeing and positive mental health is already promoted across our whole school community, but working towards the award will enable us to showcase all that we do, while developing our approach even further. Positive emotional wellbeing and mental health is at the heart of our school ethos, so that our children, with the support of their teachers, can build confidence and flourish in all aspects of their development. To expand and achieve our vision of wellbeing at the heart of learning, we will use a 'whole-school approach' where all aspects of the school experience promote the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils, staff and the wider school community. Emotional wellbeing and mental health is vital to development and progression and is therefore everybody's business. Keep a look out for regular updates via our website and social media accounts.

At Loxdale Primary School the staff are passionate about Pastoral care and all staff within our setting play an active role in this area. Our pupils have a solid understanding that the adults within school are here to care for and support them and we pride ourselves on the strong attachments we form with our pupils and their families.

Class teachers and teaching assistants are always on hand to support and address any queries you may have. For more complex issues we have our Pastoral Team who have a wealth of knowledge and experience of working with children and families who may be going through changes in family dynamics, emotional issues, bereavement, worries etc. They also lead with any mental health or safeguarding issues alongside the other staff within the DSL/ DDSL role (Designated safeguarding Lead).

Pastoral care is the foundation upon which everything else in school is built. Providing effective care for the welfare, wellbeing and overall success of our pupils is at the heart of our ethos. Pastoral care not only has huge benefits for the child and their family; it can also have a positive impact on the community. It removes barriers to learning and enables pupils to fully participate in every aspect of their life. Pastoral care teaches children:

* How they should be cared for/ how to care for others

* How to understand and express their emotions safely

*How to build resilience

*How to manage changes and transitions

*How to positively contribute to society

Our year 5 and year 6 pupils have completed the Primary Mental Health Champion training programme which is a thoroughly engaging and interactive programme, empowering pupil’s to build resilience, creating a positive and supportive environment where everyone thrives.

Through the programme our pupils have learned essential knowledge and skills needed to support their own mental health and in addition have also leaned how to support their peers. It empowers children to take a more proactive approach in managing their own mental health so that they can try to address things independently if appropriate, while also ensuring they know staff are on hand to support too.

Our Year 2 pupils have also completed an Introductory Workshop where they learned about mental health and wellbeing and the things we can do to ensure we look after ourselves, including what to do if we need help.

Making our Mindfulness bottles

Quotes from our Champions

We are proud to have been allocated as part of the next wave of schools selected to be a part of Reflexions Mental Health in Schools Team (MHST). This is a new service which will help increase access to mental health support for children and young people in schools.

The MHST will work alongside the school’s Senior Designated Mental Health Lead and school staff to identify, discuss and plan for the school’s mental health and emotional wellbeing needs.

The team work closely with children and young people who may need support with:

*Low mood

*Exam stress

*Problems with sleep

*Low self esteem

* Anxiety

Useful links for pupils & families

Spurgeons Young Carers: A young carer is someone who helps care for somebody within their family. Spurgeons offer a wide range of services to support young carers, from mentoring and educational support to activities and trips away giving them much needed time out from their caring duties.

Wolverhampton | Spurgeons Young Carers (spurgeonsyc.org)

Anna Freud National Centre for Children & Families: Advice & guidance for parents/carers to help support a child or young person needing support with mental health or wellbeing.

Parents and Carers | Advice and Guidance | Anna Freud Centre

Place2Be: Improving children’s mental health offering parenting advice from child mental health experts with practical tips to support children’s wellbeing and behaviour.

How to support your child's mental health – Place2Be

Winston’s Wish: Childhood bereavement charity providing advice, support & resources for grieving children. Winston's Wish - giving hope to grieving children (winstonswish.org)

Freephone Helpline: 08088 020 021 Email: ask@winstonswish.org

Young Minds: Providing young people with tools to look after their mental health.

Find Help With How I'm Feeling | Advice For Young People | Young Minds.

SHOUT offers a free, 24/7 text messaging support wherever you are in the UK. If you need someone to talk to about how you’re feeling, text YM to 85258.

Empowering parents and adults who work with young people, to be the best support they can be to the young people in their lives. How to Talk to Your Child about Mental Health | Young Minds. Parents Helpline for detailed advice, emotional support and signposting about a child or young person. You can call our Parents Helpline on 0808 802 5544, Monday - Friday 9:30am - 4:00pm.

Papyrus: Prevention of Young Suicide is the UK charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people About Us | Papyrus UK | Suicide Prevention Charity (papyrus-uk.org) Hopeline: 0800 068 4141 Text: 07860039967 Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org 9am – midnight every day of the year.

NSPCC: Advice to help you support children who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, suicidal feelings or self-harm. Signs That a Child Is Suffering From Mental Health Issues | NSPCC

Childline: Try some of our breathing exercises, activities, games and videos to help let go of stress. Calm zone | Childline

NHS: Self-Help Guides, find tips, guides, tools and activities to support and improve mental health & wellbeing. Self-help guides | NHS inform

Dove Self-Esteem Project: Helping young people reach their full life potential by delivering quality body confidence and self-esteem education.

The Dove Self-Esteem Project | Dove

Barnardo's: I’m looking for support with being a parent or carer | Barnardo's (barnardos.org.uk)

Gingerbread: Young Child's Wellbeing - Gingerbread

Early Years Alliance: Happy children — taking care of young people's wellbeing | early years alliance (eyalliance.org.uk)

RISE: Wellbeing for Early Years (under 6) | Trauma in young children | Dealing with anxiety in kids | RISE (riseuk.org.uk)

Meet the Wellbeing Team

* How they should be cared for/ how to care for others

* How to understand and express their emotions safely

*How to build resilience

*How to manage changes and transitions

*How to positively contribute to society

Miss Hanley is our Pastoral Manager and is the link between school and home, supporting children and their families through any difficulties.

The role of Pastoral Manager ensures that the provision offered by the school nurtures the physical, social, and emotional welfare of our pupils in order to promote personal development alongside academic achievement. Miss Hanley’s role also involves being the strategic lead for attendance, the operational lead with any safeguarding or wellbeing issues (DDSL) and she is also our designated senior mental health lead within school.

Miss Hanley offers wellbeing sessions to pupils who may be experiencing issues both within or outside of school to help remove any barriers and build self-esteem and resilience. She has also recently worked with ‘One Goal’ who taught and trained pupils as School Mental Health Champions. As well as working closely with our pupils and their families, Miss Hanley also works collaboratively with partner agencies such as, Children’s Services, the police, Strengthening Families, psychologists, health professionals etc. Miss Hanley has extensive experience of working within all Key Stages of education from early years to secondary, including specialist SEND schools supporting pupils with moderate and complex additional needs.

Miss Hughes is our Pastoral & Attendance Officer and supports Miss Hanley in promoting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils.

As Pastoral and Attendance Officer, Miss Hughes’ role consists of being the operational lead on Attendance, a DDSL (deputy designated safeguarding lead), lead for all Early Help cases as well as being responsible for supporting pupil behaviour management.

Miss Hughes delivers both ‘Drawing and Talking Therapy’ and ‘Lego Therapy’ within school as well leading on ‘Zones of Regulation’, which is a cognitive-behavioural approach used to teach us how to regulate our feelings. She also offers group sessions covering a range of topics such as, friendship groups etc... as well as managing our school’s Peer Supporters who offer support to other children via play during social times through building the skills of empathy and a sense of understanding.

Miss Hughes has vast experience of working within the primary education setting as well as experience within the pupil referral sector.

Loxdale Primary School’s Wellbeing Dog

As part of our on-going provision for wellbeing and mental health, Loxdale Primary school welcomed a new addition to the team in September 2022, our Wellbeing Dog ‘Monty’. Following detailed research, we chose the breed of an English Setter, which is a gentle, friendly dog that is especially good with children.

Monty comes into school every day to be alongside the children and staff. While he lives with Miss Hanley, he is very much Loxdale’s dog, and the children take immense pride in the fact we all share in his care.

What are the benefits of a school dog?

• Improved pupil behaviour and concentration

• Improving attendance (as agreed & supported by our EWO)

• Motivating pupils to think and to learn

• Helping children build confidence in reading
• Reduces stress and improved self-esteem

• Supporting with the development of cooperative play
• A calming effect on pupils

• Fostering a sense of responsibility
• Encourages expression, participation, and confidence in all children
• Encouraging respect and thereby improving pupils' relationships with each other, parents, and teachers

• Helping work undertaken with the most vulnerable children
• Teaching children to nurture and respect life
• Helping overcome a fear of dogs

• Developing the understanding of unconditional love

• Supporting children to develop empathy

• Encouraging enthusiasm for and enjoyment of animals
• Increasing staff morale and wellbeing
• Further promoting our wellbeing/ mental health agenda for pupils

How has the school planned for this?

• Rigorous research has been carried out to ensure that we have selected the most suitable breed of dog for our school, pupils and staff.
• Prior to purchasing Monty staff visited the home of the breeder -‘Bournehouse’ establish over 50 years, who have produced both Best of Breed & Supreme Champion at Crufts and who are members of The Assured Breeders scheme with the Kennel Club’s Accolade of Excellence, to ensure that the puppy's temperament and that of its parents, is most suitable for interaction with children.
• A full risk assessment and policy has been written and is available on the website.

• Monty was born in May 2022 and has already completed his Basic Puppy Foundation Assessment with South Staffs Dog Training over the summer holidays.

• When Monty reaches the required age (12+ months), he will begin formal Therapy Dog training.
• All contact with Monty is carefully planned and children are not left unsupervised with Monty at any time.
• When not working, Monty is based in the wellbeing office for rest & his own wellbeing.
• Movement around the school is controlled, Monty is always supervised and, on a lead or harness.
• Any children working with Monty wash & sanitise their hands immediately afterwards.

•During school holidays the children & families of Loxdale can keep close links with Monty via ‘pupdates’ on the school’s Social Media pages where he will be virtually interacting and letting them know about his most recent adventures!