Mental Health and Well-being at Bourne Alliance

Our vision is to develop a school community where children can enjoy a welcoming, secure, happy and healthy environment, where all members can develop self-confidence, self-esteem, self-motivation, independence, compassion, tolerance and understanding of others.

At Bourne Alliance, we support the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff. We have a supportive and caring ethos model of respect and kindness, where each individual is valued.  Children are helped to understand and express their feelings, build their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their capacity to learn.

At our school we know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support.  We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

We promote and support a mentally healthy environment through:

• Promoting our school values and encouraging a sense of belonging
• Promoting pupil voice and opportunities to participate in decision-making
• Celebrating academic and non-academic achievements
• Providing opportunities to develop a sense of worth through taking responsibility for themselves and others
• Providing opportunities to reflect
• Access to appropriate support that meets their needs (drawing and talking, counselling, Edify)
• Having a dedicated well-being team to support staff and students.
• 2 mental health first aiders.
• Working closely with students, parents and carers.
• Mindfulness in class to give children tools they can use in their daily lives, both at home and school.
• Restorative Justice which ensures that all children have a voice and are listened to as part of our behaviour system

Promotion of positive mental well being

The schools offers pupils many opportunities to do physical and relaxing activities to promote positive well-being:

• Dinner time games to play outside
• Zones on the playground to include all children’s interests.
• Zen Den for children who need support at lunchtimes.
• Home Learning Projects  that give opportunities for families to be involved
• Themed Days
• Charity Days
• Summer and Christmas Fairs
• Residential visits
• Educational day visits
• Run a Mile
• After school clubs

Celebrate Success

The schools like  to celebrate the many successes that our children achieve:

• Displaying pupil’s work
• Community Assemblies  which celebrate school and outside of school achievements
• Termly school newsletter to celebrate what has taken place

Teaching about Mental Health and Wellbeing  Curriculum

The school follows the DfE guidelines for the teaching of  Mental  Health and Wellbeing in the following ways:-

• Personal, Social, Health Education (PSHE) scheme of work
• Mindfulness in class
• Assemblies and theme days.

Interventions to support mental wellbeing

Staff from the Inclusion and Well-being Team and outside agencies provide appropriate interventions for pupils mental health and wellbeing:-

• Draw and Talk Therapy
• Counselling
• Self-esteem individual and group activities
• Lego therapy
• ELSA
• Talk Time

Mental  Health  Concern For Your Child

The school values the support of parents by working in partnership with them to support their child.    If parents have a mental health concern about their child they are most welcome to discuss this with their class teacher or Mrs Gilmour our Inclusion lead.

Mental  Health  Concern For Yourself

If parents have a mental health concern about themselves they are most welcome to discuss this with Mrs Williams, our family liaison officer who can signpost you to support agencies.