pupil and staff wellbeing as swiss gardens
Well-being is at the heart of all we do at Swiss Gardens. We believe that if a child feels safe and secure and undisturbed by worries they thrive and learn well.
We know we cannot take all the outside worry away, but we can help children deal with their worries, anxieties and fears share them and unpick what is the best way forward to help them.
As we travel through uncertain times we need to be kind to ourselves and others. Our promise as part of our values is that friendship is the starting point for happy learners.
We start our school year by ensuring all children identify people they can go to for support and identify their “helping hands “these are trusted adults they can turn to.
Our philosophy is that parents, carers and children should be able to talk freely about their worries and know they will not be judged.
Wellbeing, mindful activities and where to and how to share worries are themes covered and returned to throughout the school day, week, month and over the year.
Children can go to our amazing wellbeing room and have time out, a place to unwind and to calm and relax- to decompress and to talk to a trusted adult if they need to.
We have an allocated adult Mrs Halfpenny who can take children who need support in the wellbeing room, she is trained in Lego therapy and has lots of resources in the room to support and distract. It is a place for everyone and is warm, inviting and different to any classroom. The opportunity to go to the wellbeing room allows the child who needs have “time out” to go to a place that is free from the normal classroom distractions.
At Swiss Gardens we have a Filial play therapist who works with children, we use outside agencies, charities and NHS resources to support good mental health. We have a trained ELSA (emotional literacy support assistant) who works with children who need her support. We also have ten members of staff (teachers and learning support assistants) who have done the mental health champions training.
We take part in metal health awareness week, we use the wellbeing calendar of monthly activities and encourage children to recognise what kindness is. The focus for these activities to focus on the good more of the time. Children have access to worry boxes and question jars and they also have an opportunities to learn how to relax and be mindful during the school day.
Parents are strongly encouraged to communicate issues and share how their child is feeling and if there are any issues at home that might be affecting the child. We try hard to point them in the right direction for help and support to maintain good mental health and positive feelings.
Our teacher’s wellbeing is also important to us. The wellbeing room has an area for quiet reflection and we have Golden week where all meetings are cancelled and where paperwork is kept to a minimum. Teaching is by nature a stressful and work- heavy role. We try to ensure that teachers do have a good work life balance and we encourage staff to raise any difficulties they are having, to signpost them to workplace wellness and to minimise unnecessary paperwork.
Wellbeing is really at the starting point, so that each day is less of a struggle for everyone.