Mental Health and Well-being
At Whitehill Primary School, we are committed to supporting the wellbeing and emotional health of our pupils.
We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support.
Promoting pupil wellbeing is more than just helping children to achieve academically. A child's wellbeing could be the key to their current and future happiness. With this in mind, we are determined to support our pupils at Whitehill Primary School in every way possible, to ensure that they are provided with the best start to their life and are fully equipped with the tools to manage their thoughts, emotions, and wellbeing.
We feel the social and emotional skills, knowledge and behaviours that children can learn in our school can help them build resilience and set the patterns for how they will manage their mental health throughout their lives.
We provide many resources and activities to support our pupils wellbeing. We have Forest School, trained ELSA's, PSHE lessons, half termly Wellbeing days, a School Counsellor and Parent Hub to name a few.
We also work closely with a variety of external services to provide further support where and when necessary.
Whitehill Wellbeing Day
Changing Me
Friday 30th June 2023
Friday 30th June we celebrated our last Wellbeing day of this school year, our topic was 'Changing Me'.
The day was spent looking at how we change from being a baby through art and writing activities.
There was a quiz called 'Name the Baby' where the children had to decide the teacher.
Mrs McDonald went round school and got the children to try baby food and snacks, to see how our taste buds change as we grow.
Building Relationships
Friday 19th May 2023
Throughout the day, the children took part in team building exercises. Each class took part in Lego therapy, a social development program that uses Lego activities to support the development of a wide range of skills. The Lego therapy encourages positive social interactions between those taking part. This makes it a great activity for developing team building and problem solving skills.
The children had lots of fun competing the activities.
Healthy Me
Friday 24th March 2023
Today was our half-termly Wellbeing day. Classes looked at all the habits we need to stay healthy, such as: hygiene, medicine, mindfulness, obeying safety rules and regulating our emotions. Each child had the chance to make a stress ball to keep.
Dreams and Goals
On Friday 10th February 2023 we held our next wellbeing day. We focused on the theme 'Dreams and Goals'.
In class, all children were given a picture of a dream jar where they were able to either draw or complete a piece of writing all about their dream job.
Following on from this, in the afternoon we held our first 'Dreams and Goals' job fair. We had experts from different careers come in and the children were able to ask questions and complete some hands on activities. There was a hairdresser, a nurse, a surgeon, the Fire brigade, a dentist and a baker.
Celebrating Difference
On Friday 2nd December 2022, we had our second Wellbeing day. Each class chose a minority country represented in their class and planned an art activity/ cooking activity linked to that culture. We have had lots of different foods brought in from parents.
Mrs McDonald then visited each class to do some meditation activities and breathing exercises, this is so pupils could bank some self-calming strategies to help with their well-being.
Being Me
On Friday the 21st October 2022, we had our first half termly Wellbeing day. The theme was, 'Being me'. In order to celebrate this we had a non-uniform day where all pupils dressed in their favorite outfit.
There were also lots of activities taking place throughout the day which encouraged pupils to discuss and think about who they are including each class having a world map and each child discussing where different members of their family lives.
Every child decorated a paper hand. They had to included pictures, words and patterns all related to the theme 'All about me'. the hands our now displayed on our Wellbeing Board in school.
Whitehill Wellbeing Board
Have you seen our Wellbeing board in the entrance hall?
The Pastoral team display useful mental health information and the wellbeing activities completed in school on our wellbeing days.
Autumn Term
How fabulous does our wellbeing board look at the moment?
The children's decorated hands are displayed at the moment. They had to included pictures, words and patterns all related to the theme 'All about me'.
We also have a pocket hug tree near the board at the moment. Last school year the then year six pupils decorated hearts for others to take if they need a pocket hug or positive encouragement.
