Health & Wellbeing

Wellbeing and Support

We believe that children who are being supported with their wellbeing are more able to learn and to become fulfilled, confident adults.

Many children have crises at some stage in their lives which make them more vulnerable to issues with mental health, anxiety and a lack of self confidence. We work with parents where possible to support children through these difficult patches in their lives. Some of the children facing difficulties benefit from small intervention groups to help build their confidence.

Staff at Glenmere are happy to meet with parents to talk about their child’s wellbeing and to look for ways in which the school may be able to offer support. If this is something you’d like to do, please make an appointment with your child’s class teacher.

Details of the support that Glenmere provides and more information can be found in our Glenmere Wellbeing Handbook

Wellbeing Award 2019

Developed in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau (NCB), the Wellbeing Award for Schools is intended to help schools prepare and equip themselves to promote emotional wellbeing and positive mental health across the whole-school community. The vision is to create an education system where good emotional wellbeing and mental health are at the heart of the culture and ethos of our school, so that our pupils, with the support of their teachers, can build confidence and flourish. Evidence shows us that wellbeing is of central importance to learning and attainment, with high levels of wellbeing associated with improved academic outcomes.

 

At Glenmere, we provide a wealth of support and initiatives to support emotional wellbeing and mental health

  • First aid training is provided for our youngest and eldest pupils
  • Specialised school counsellor works in school once a week, supporting children for different reasons, including working with children on emotions, wellbeing, mental health, anxieties to name a few. We also offer parents to attend sessions either with their children or without.
  • Specific staff are trained in key areas to support pupils in school – of which are a response to the needs of pupils within school.
      • Two staff are trained in bereavement
      • Two members of staff are trained in art therapy – Talking and Drawing
      • The School has a trained ELSA
  • Each class has a worry monster where children can write down their worries or concerns to be able to share them with the teacher
  • Each class has a feelings chart where children can put how they are feeling each day.
  • A full scheme of work is implemented for PSHE across the school from JIGSAW. Evidence of this being implemented can be seen via Twitter.
  • Wellbeing Buddies are being introduced to Year 6 who will work with school council to establish ways of improving wellbeing across the school.
  • Parents are invited to workshops regarding wellbeing, including running of a workshop on anxiety. Unfortunately, due to COVID 19, some workshops have been unable to go ahead but we hope to start this up again
  • The school environment focuses on praising children on their achievements in order to boost self-esteem. This is established in a number of ways
      • Weekly awards assemblies where pupils have their photos added to the Hall of Fame display
      • Half termly awards assemblies where pupils are given a range of different trophies from positivity to kindness to sports boy and girl
      • Talent Board celebrating out of school successes
      • Sporting Greats Board celebrating sporting successes
      • Golden Book
      • Class Rewards
      • Head Teacher Awards
      • Monthly Reading, Writing and Maths certificates sent to home address
  • Physical wellbeing is equally important and Glenmere offers a range of sporting opportunities, competing in a range of different sports which teaches children a range of different life skills, especially resilience. We use the sports grant to invest in the use of specialist teaching staff, training teachers and support staff at the same time
  • A ‘life skills curriculum’ has been implemented in school known as Personal Growth. The aim on this is to teach children life skills, including aspects like empathy, resilience, persistence, respect, responsibility, cooperation, team work, wellbeing, health and perseverance to name a few

Wellbeing Tips

Wellbeing Tip: Food and mood: Changes in blood sugar levels are linked to changes in mood and energy. Eating regularly maintains blood sugar levels. Not eating regularly can make you tired, irritable, anxious and cause poor concentration. Good tips include eating breakfast, eating every 3-4 hours, avoiding junk foods, eating plenty of fruit and veg and drinking lots of water. 

https://www.healthyyoungmindsinherts.org.uk/young-people/help-yourself-10-ways-boost-your-emotional-wellbeing-and-mental-health