Mental Health and Wellbeing Update -January 2024-Stoke Hill Federation.
As a school we recognise the importance of our partnership with HeadsUp during the last academic year and in terms of sustainability understand that while their funding in the area has ended at the end of this academic year 2022/23 we have identified a class teacher who will work alongside AHOS to maintain a mental health and well-being focus in the school. It is also possible that during this academic year funding may be renewed by other means and for this reason AHOS will maintain contact with HeadsUp despite them being based in Exmouth.
To maintain the focus on mental health and wellbeing So far, this academic year we have:
· Identified a member of staff to train as mental health lead for the Federation and registered for Government funding to ensure training is complete.
· Mental health Ambassadors from Y6 are trained and run several clubs during the lunch break in the Junior school to support fellow pupils. Most popular include mindfulness colouring and Art.
· Purchased a polytunnel to develop learning in the natural environment and the benefits this can bring to health and well-being.
· Developed the PTFA to increase community events and an inclusive community. (Fire work display/festival of light event, winter fair and weekly cake sale).
· Initiated a partnership with ‘Well-being Exeter’ to promote the ‘Live and Move’ initiative across our community. Stay and play dates agreed to enable the team to ascertain what physical activities families would like to take part in. Recognising the benefits of active lifestyles on physical and mental health.
· Introduced a course of family learning in partnership with Learn Devon for Carer and child to cook and eat together. Exploring healthy options that not only taste good but can boost wellbeing. This first cohort are delighted with the weekly recipes! This course will run at the infants once the first course is complete at the Juniors.
HeadsUp Annual Summary 2023-Stoke Hill Federation.
The HeadsUp Team have established positive working relationships with pupils, parents, carers, and staff. They are part of the whole school team and not seen as individuals that are additional to the team but rather included within the existing teaching and learning team. Full credit to Emma and Lucy from HeadsUP working quickly to get to know our whole school community.
Children really enjoy their sessions and feel at ease to share worries but also successes with HeadsUp. Children know when HeadsUp are due in school and often will be heard asking are they here yet!
This academic year the HeadsUp Team have worked with:
30 pupils in group or 1:1 session
60 pupils through their regular class sessions
32 pupils via the after-school club.
At the start of February 2023, 12 Mental Health Ambassadors completed their training and shared their initiatives to improve health and well-being across the school as part of children’s mental health week. They have delivered lunchtime clubs for children, promoted wellbeing via notice board and taken the lead in the Mental Health Choir which culminated in a performance during the summer concert to parents. During the summer term a further 10 children attended MHA training sessions after school in readiness for them to lead at the start of the new academic year 2023/24.
Our target at the start of our partnership with HeadsUp was to reach and make a difference to as many children as needed, the total so far is 122.
Working with HeadsUp has made a significant difference to the profile of health and wellbeing in our school and started to give children the tools to talk freely about their mental health and well-being.
Heads up really compliments the Stoke Hill Federation PSHE curriculum and enhances messages shared using the Jigsaw programme.
Communication between HeadsUp and school has been good and HeadsUp have been very proactive in sharing information and updates with parents/ carers.
