Mental Health and Wellbeing
Cooks Spinney takes the mental health of pupils, families and staff seriously. See below for lots of useful resources but remember - if you ever need to talk, we are here for you.
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as follows:
"Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community."
The charity Mind (www.mind.org.uk) also says that:
“In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it.”
At Cooks Spinney, our children learn about how to look after their mental health through lessons such as PSHE (Personal, social, health and economic education), RSE (Relationships and sex education), assemblies, in their classroom, on the playground and around the school.
Good mental health and wellbeing is embedded within our classroom practice and within our school ethos. Our pupils are able to discuss any issues or worries that they face with their teachers or with our Learning Mentor and can also voice their ideas and concerns by posting a note in our school worry box outside the staff room.
Children are seen as valued members of our school community who have rights, responsibilities and the potential within to become adaptable, altruistic, articulate, ambitious and adventurous individuals who know how to ask for support for themselves and how to give others support when needed.
We have a dedicated team of adults who are here to support you and your child at school and if you wish to speak to one of us about mental health and wellbeing, please call our school office on 01279 437590 or contact us via email: admin@bmatcooksspinney.org.uk
Mental Health Week 15th-19th May 2023
Pupils learnt about managing anxiety, the main theme behind this year's Mental Health Week, during a whole school assembly and through classroom activities. Year 4 took part in N.O.W's the time for change (National Online Wellbeing Services) resilience in school workshop. To find out more from their website and find links to their YouTube channel, click the link below:
https://nowsthetimeforchange.com/
6-12 February 2023 - Children’s Mental Health Week
6 - 12 February 2023 is Children’s Mental Health Week. The week is run by children’s mental health charity Place2Be to raise awareness of the importance of children and young people’s mental health. This year’s theme is Let’s Connect. Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections, and for Children’s Mental Health Week 2023, classes will be learning about connecting with others in healthy, rewarding and meaningful ways. For more ideas to use at home, please look at the page for parents on the links below.
How to support your child's mental health and wellbeing
Cooks Spinney Primary Academy and Nursery pupils took part in a World Mental Health Day assembly on Monday 10th October. Here are some ideas we shared to support your child’s mental health and wellbeing.
Please visit the Young Minds website for more ideas and support.
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
Information for children about mental health:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCrjevx3-Js
DIYs for mental health
Sensory bottles for mindfulness
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF61_2t46pE
Worry balls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fz5iEBdJM84
Self-soothe boxes
Mental health and wellbeing events
World Mental Health Day 11th October 2022
Year 4 took part in a mental health and wellbeing workshop run by MIND on World Mental Health Day. They learnt about the 5 ways to good mental health: Connect, be active, take notice, keep learning and give. For more information, follow the link:
Other support and activities can be found here:
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/professional/resources/
Children’s Mental Health Week February 2022
During the week starting on 7th February, Cooks Spinney pupils took part activities to promote children’s mental health on the theme of ‘growing together.’
Year 6 children also participated in workshops provided by the charity MIND this term.
World Mental Health Day Sunday 10th October 2021
YoungMinds, the children’s mental health charity, organised a #HelloYellow fund raising day to show young people that they're not alone with their mental health.
Pupils wore something yellow on Friday 8th October, made donations to YoungMinds https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cooks-spinney1 and said #HelloYellow in support of children and young people’s mental health.
Talking to children who feel anxious about the war in Ukraine
Many children have been affected by world events highlighted recently in the media. Not all are able to express their worries and need help to make sense of some of the scary images they see or reports that they hear from others. Here are links to help you to talk about what is happening in the Ukraine:
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/tips-look-after-your-mental-health-during-scary-world-events?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin
https://www.parents.parentzone.org.uk/morearticles/helping-your-child-cope-with-media-coverage-of-traumatic-events
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/13865002
https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/honesty-reassurance-talk-kids-ukraine-83109979
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/talking-to-your-children-scary-world-news
Place2Be's Parenting Smart site have many useful articles relating to anxiety and sadness:
https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk/article/my-child-is-anxious
Ways that you can support families in the Ukraine
Harlow council have listed ways in which locals can help support Ukrainian families. Please see the link below:
https://www.harlow.gov.uk/news/ukrainian-flag-raised-town-unites-its-support-ukraine
‘Your Harlow’ has published information about local collections for the Ukraine:
https://www.yourharlow.com/2022/03/01/kind-hearted-polish-deli-in-harlow-collecting-vital-supplies-for-ukraine/
Wearing Yellow to support World Mental Health Day
To support Young Minds' World Mental Health Day - our pupils were invited to wear yellow for the day, raise funds and raise awareness!
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/support-us/fundraising/helloyellow/ 