Mental Health and Wellbeing

At St Mary's nurture and mental health are central to our Mission.

To thrive we need to be able to feel comfortable, and take risks in a safe environment.

This is why we have introduced significant strategies over the years and embedded them into our culture, with positive impacts seen and fed back by our children, staff and families.

Strategies are:

Good relationships between breakfast and after school provision - good communication and an early start of 8.45 means children have time to settle, transition and regulate.
Meditation - We follow a Catholic meditation plan that teaches strategies such as breathing techniques, visualisation, anchoring, going into our heart room, and drawing on those feelings, using our senses, to manage our emotions proactively. KS1 and KS2 do this separately in order for them to focus well.
Growth Mindset - We use growth mindset throughout school, teaching strategies, modelling and referring back to 'First Attempt In Learning', 'The Pit', 'The Power of Yet' and more - giving a toolkit of positivity and strategies to keep moving forwards.
Mile a Day - The physical activity benefits the mind hugely - all classes do this using our all weather track - completing a distance appropriate to them.
Buddy, our Dog Mentor dog - Buddy was introduced post lockdown to support children on return. The joy and support he gives others, the time, touch, care others give him, all contributes undoubtedly to wellbeing.
Communication Friendly Spaces, ADHD, ASD and dyslexia friendly environment - ALL children benefit from calm spaces, clarity, homeliness - a warm environment in which to thrive. We follow guidance in these areas to benefit all pupils, whilst levelling up provision for SEND. Strategies include neutral displays - we use hessian mostly, matte signage for educational support to avoid glare, buff coloured backgrounds, greenery, colour matched curriculum displays, avoid clutter, display our family of children, staff and community in canvases and prints throughout school, try to maximise space for calm in classroom arrangements, and much more, Visual timetables, social stories, sensory circuits, calm boxes and practical learning resources and visuals, clear instructions with appropriate number of steps for individuals, movement breaks and much more all support a positive environment to feel good at school.
Staff support - Our staff are regularly briefed and trained in supportive strategies including teach from your feet, regular check ins with children, 123 Magic, positive reinforcement, and ADHD and ASD, as again ALL children benefit from these. All children need clarity, kindness, positivity and understanding. Our staff are consistently briefed and proactive in the wellbeing of individuals and their needs, including the best strategies for individuals. The love and nurture our staff give naturally is what makes St Mary's the family that it is.
Constant focus on fairness, kindness - our Mission. We highlight anti bullying week, and other events to make an impact, but it is the consistent daily kindness - modelling, encouraging, monitoring, teaching, praising specifically those kind acts towards others, including ALL, that supports us on our path to include all and enable all to feel comfortable, to feel a strong sense of belonging in our family, contributing to wellbeing and positive mental health,
We celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week, and Anti-Bullying Week, and teach strategies explicitly through PSHE, RE, and throughout other areas from Pre School to Y6.
Seeds and Gardeners - our Y6 Gardeners nurture and model kindness to our Reception Seeds, often forming strong bonds that continue out of school.
Wellbeing Warriors - as part of the Ribble Valley Sports Partnership children are trained and supported by staff in school to support others and run sessions for children at lunchtimes and playtimes.
Playleaders - Y6 act as playleaders on a rota, setting up games and activities for all to engage in and supporting positive play.
Nurture Club - We have a KS1/EYFS and a KS2 Nurture Club running at lunchtimes with staff.
Wellbeing Club - run by Mrs Mackey after school.
Our range of clubs - we listen to our children and families and often establish clubs to enable children to thrive in areas they feel positive in, for example, book club, fashion, art, gardening, chess, MFL, choir (group singing is enormously beneficial for mental health!), dance, yoga, running club and many more.
Online Safety - workshops offered to parents, support through PSHE teaching and cross curricular. More often we find in KS2 particularly the impact on mental health of online use, therefore we support our children and families through information to empower them to manage safe use.
Mental Health Lead in school - Mrs Beaghan.
Early Help - Mrs Beaghan and Miss Boden manage Early Help Plans as lead contact, completing with families for a variety of reasons, and managing referrals to Barnardos Thrive, Child Action Northwest and ELCAS. We are regularly updated with new services to support our children.

Useful sites for mental health and wellbeing:

CAMHS (Where you can find links to multiple support sites)

If you are ever concerned or wish to find out more, please contact head@ or telephone. We are here to support you.