Mental Health, Wellbeing and Nurture
Proverbs 4:23 Good News Translation (GNT) of the Bible
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
We believe in paying more attention to the present moment – to your own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around you.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Nurturing the health and wellbeing of our pupils is an embedded approach across the school’s ethos, linking with other aspects of health education, spiritual development, the wider school curriculum and the ethos and policies that underpin the school. We strive to maintain good partnership working with other agencies and health services to ensure our children and families receive the best possible support whenever its required.
At our school, we know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.
“Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community,” (World Health Organization, 2014).
Two key elements to support good mental health are:
Our role in school is to ensure that children are able to manage times of change and stress, and that they are supported to reach their potential or access help when they need it. Children are taught when to seek help, what help is available, and the likely outcome of seeking support so that they have the confidence and knowledge for themselves or others. We also have a role to ensure that children learn about what they can do to maintain positive mental health, what affects their mental health and how they can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues. As part of our targeted provision, we have and continue to access, outside help and support for pupils when required.
At Egerton, we aim to promote pupils’ wellbeing through an understanding of their own and others’ emotions and the development of healthy coping strategies. Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.
We include Mental Health Awareness in the school calendar and plan activities various for the whole school at points throughout the year, as well as ongoing classroom activities.