Wellbeing
'He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31-32
At Chevening, we teach our children to be aware of their own mental health and emotional well-being through the PSHE, RE, PE and Science curriculum. This understanding is embedded throughout the school in our ethos of
Being true to Christ and His teachings;
Be known for kind and thoughtful actions and attitudes;
Being inclusive in serving, sharing and showing God’s love to benefit all;
Each class has a ‘worries and wonders’ box to encourage children to share concerns and staff promote a culture of talking about how we are feeling openly and honestly. Use of the Power of Reading encourages our children to explore the thoughts and feelings of characters in books and consider how these can be reflected in their own lives.
As a school we regularly reinforce the importance of caring for our own mental health by taking part in both National Mental Health week and Children’s Mental Health week. This provides us with opportunities to share information with families and the local community.
We are fortunate to have access to Spurgeons Counsellors through our local school partnership each year, allowing us the opportunity to provide more targeted support where appropriate. We are also able to offer support for identified children through Therapeutic Play sessions.
Our ELSA (Emotional Learning Support Assistant), provides regular weekly support to identified children each week through structured sessions and lunchtime drop-ins. We are currently undertaking training to become a NurtureUK school and run nurture groups to support children on a weekly basis.
We are committed to promoting good mental health and well-being for all children, staff and parents at the school.
Please look at the links below for a selection of books and websites to support mental health and wellbeing:
19 Must-Read Books to Help Kids Understand Their Emotional and Mental Health - Thrive Global
Mental Health Foundation | Good mental health for all
Mental health and emotional wellbeing | Barnardo's (barnardos.org.uk)
Children's mental health - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Parents Mental Health Support | Advice for Your Child | YoungMinds