EMOTIONALLY FRIENDLY SCHOOLS (EFS) AWARD
We are currently in the process of applying to achieve an Emotionally Friendly School Status.
The Emotionally Friendly Schools (EFS) programme is a flexible, whole-school approach to improving children's mental health and well-being.
The accreditation focuses on four key areas:
- Staff Wellbeing and School Ethos
- Classroom Practice
- Assessing Children's Needs
- Supporting Individual Children
One of our key principles at St Wilfrid’s, is to support the wellbeing of both staff and pupils. We aim to ensure that all children are happy, healthy and able to cope with everything that life may throw at them. We promote and teach all pupils to be resilient, confident, have positive self-perceptions and appropriate coping mechanisms in a seamless and continuous method of delivery.
By adopting a whole school approach, we can ensure that wellbeing is central to everything that we do.
As adults, we ensure that we develop our understanding of emotions, self-control, positive relationships and keeping our mind and body healthy, in order to support our wellbeing and therefore we can have the best impact upon the pupils we support. We recognise, however, that the mental wellbeing of both staff and pupils can change from day to day and that there are times in everybody's life when a little extra help or support may be needed. Therefore, we have invested heavily in a supportive and nurturing system, the aim of which is to enable all individuals to flourish whilst on their St Wilfrid’s Journey.
As a school we also seek advice and support from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), School Nurse, Speech and Language Therapists, Paediatricians, the Primary Inclusion Team, the Educational Psychology Service. This helps to ensure that each individual receives the most rounded care possible.
If families need to make contact with our pastoral care/ safeguarding team for support please feel free to call the school office and ask for a message to be passed on to Mrs O'Brien, Mrs Melling, Miss Dooner or Mrs Sanderson our Pastoral Lead on mental health. Or feel free to email school and we will contact you as soon as possible - enquiries@ashtonsaintwilfrids.wigan.sch.uk
Take a virtual tour of our Hygge Room below but also have a look at some of the links below for support.
For information, please also see the link to the THRIVE Directory of Services, where you can find all available emotional health and wellbeing support available for young people. Thrive - Children & Young People Mental Health - Healthier Wigan Partnership
Wellbeing
Mindfulness
Have you heard of something called ‘mindfulness’? It’s about noticing what is happening in your body, your brain and in all of your senses at this moment in time. Practising mindfulness allows you to take notice of your thoughts and feelings. This helps you to feel a sense of calm and manage difficult emotions such as stress, worry or anger. Why not have a go at some of the activities below?
External Link: Why not make a glitter jar? The swirling patterns make you feel calm when you are stressed or anxious.
External Link: The Gratitude Tree Guided Meditation. If you liked this meditation why not check out more meditations by New Horizons?
External Link: Mindfulness Meditation. Daily meditation helps you to manage and control your mental wellbeing.
External Link: Cloud Watching. Why not try some mindful cloud watching? Wondering why this helps? Find out more here.
External Link: Body Scan. Complete a mindful body scan, bringing you to harmony with your mind and body.
Other Mindfulness Exercises
External Link: Claire’s House Children’s Hospice – Feeling Calm
External Link: NHS UK – Cruz’s Training Station
External Link: NHS UK – Jungle Jig with Nala and Simba
External Link: NHS UK – Jack Jack’s Super Shapes
External Link: NHS UK – Bellwether’s Book Bundle
External Link: MiSP – Mindfulness is being alive and knowing it
External Link: MiSP – Playing Attention
External Link: MiSP – Beditation
External Link: Cosmic Yoga – Yoga for Children
External Link: More Yoga Clips
External Link: Mindful Breathing Exercise
Mental health and wellbeing
The following organisations offer information and support on mental health and wellbeing:
- Place2Be
- MindEd
- Every Mind Matters
- Public Health England
- Child Bereavement UK and the Childhood Bereavement Network
- Youth Sport Trust and Sport England
- Young Minds
- Think Ninja
- Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond Support Hub
Young people can get free, confidential support at any time from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations by:
- texting SHOUT to 85258
- calling Childline on 0800 1111
- calling the Mix on 0808 808 4994
WELLBEING LINKS
Resources for Parents and Carers - Boingboing
Every Mind Matters, great tips and advice for children's Emotional Health. Support your child's Mental Wellbeing with Every Mind Matters.
Young minds, are a UK leading charity who fight for children and young people's mental health.
Mind, is a mental health charity and they are there to make sure no one faces a mental health problem alone.
Winston's Wish, provided emotional and practical bereavement support to children and young people.
Grief encounter, support bereaved children and their families to help alleviate the pain caused by the loss of someone close.
Child Bereavement UK, help children and young people(up to 25), parents and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves.
Useful Apps
Hub of Hope.
Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope
Hub of Hope believes that no matter what you're going through, you shouldn't have to do it alone. Find services local to you using geolocation technology. Chasing the stigma. Headspace for meditation, Mindfulness and sleep.
At St. Wilfrid's Catholic Primary School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our children and staff.
We understand that life experiences can set challenges which can make us vulnerable at times, and additional help is sometimes needed.
We believe that positive mental health and emotional wellbeing is just as important physical health.
We have set up a safe place within our school for our children and staff to access. A space where they can go to, to take time and if needed, be listened to in a non-judgmental way.
