St Paul's Catholic Primary School

At St. Paul's Catholic Nursery and Primary School we are passionate about promoting Mental Health awareness with termly theme events that our well-being and school council ambassadors lead upon delivering and supporting.  Fun and engaging Mental Health teaching and learning activities are sourced from UK Mental Health Organisations led by teaching staff include mindfulness activities, painting, yoga, music and encouraging 'just talk'.

Our ethos is to ensure all our children have the right to express their thoughts and feelings within a safe and nurturing learning environment.  We encourage this through each child in our school choosing a 'special adult' to go to should they need to 'just talk'.  We also have a Mental Health and Well-being team led by our children across Key stage 1 and 2.  This team promotes national mental health and well-being awareness and strategies across our school.

For useful publications to support a range of Mental Health experiences such as how to deal with anxiety, loneliness, sleep and more please visit; https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications

If you have any concerns or require further information please speak to your class teacher for support or Ms N Costanzo - SENDCo & Mental Health Lead.

On February 5-9^th St Paul's School celebrated Feeling Good Week!  Children marked this week by making their 'voice matter' by completing a range of fun activities in class and learning lots of different ways to well-being.  Classes attended a workshop run by Sports Challenge Education where they learnt more about how to look after their own wellbeing, along with;

· Coping with stress and anxiety

· Provide a space and time for a child to talk about their worries

· Supporting mental health in young people with neurodiversity

· Promote healthy eating

· Understand the benefits of physical activity

· Daily mindfulness sessions

A non-school uniform day was held to raise money for a brand new outdoor well-being hut and well-being resources.  Thank you all for supporting our St Paul's Well-being Ambassadors with our school Well-being improvement project!

Last term the Well-being team worked hard at planning fund raising events in order to have two brand new Well-being huts in our school, one in our KS1 playground and another in our KS2 playground.

Children chose a range of mindfulness and sensory activities and friendship games to lead on running across the school every  play time. 

Well done to the Well-being team for working so hard on this well-being outdoor project with Ms Costanzo. 

A lovely summer term launch where everyone is welcome to join in!

This term’s National Mental Health and Well-being Awareness campaign to be promoted at St. Paul’s Catholic Nursery and Primary School will take place from 13^th to 19^th May, with the theme of “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”.

This year the focus week aims to strengthen understanding on the top tips for movement and how movement reduces stress and anxiety and boosts your self-esteem.  To promote this week we would like children to wear trainers to school on Friday 17^th May so that children can be led by our well-being team to take part in boosting activities, regular movement breaks and brain gyms across the day.  All to practice and promote the importance of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Please see the attached letter for more details about the campaign and some useful supportive information.

This will take place week of 11th November 2024, with the theme ‘Just Move It’

This themed focus week aims to strengthen understanding and provide pupils with top tips on how to look after children’s mental health by exercise. Teachers and pupils will be exploring how the benefits of physical activity extend beyond physical health and the powerful connection between movement and mood. Pupils will also be encouraged to participate in additional movement walks and games during the week.