Mental Health and Well-Being | SS. John and Monica Catholic Primary School

Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing

Supporting Every Child to Feel Safe, Valued and Ready to Flourish

“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.”

World Health Organisation (WHO)

Our Commitment to Mental Health and Wellbeing

At SS John and Monica Catholic Primary School, we recognise that positive mental health and emotional wellbeing are fundamental to children's happiness, personal development, relationships and educational achievement.

We are committed to creating a safe, nurturing and inclusive school environment in which every child feels valued, listened to, respected and supported.

Rooted in our Catholic faith and Gospel values, we believe that every child is unique, precious and deserving of love, dignity and care. Our approach to mental health and wellbeing reflects our school mission:

“At SS John and Monica's, we learn through the example of Jesus to love, respect, understand and value each other.”

We understand that growing up can bring challenges and that children may experience a range of emotions as they develop. Changes in family circumstances, friendships, bereavement, anxiety, learning difficulties and other life experiences can all affect a child's emotional wellbeing.

Our aim is to ensure that every child feels a sense of belonging, develops emotional resilience and knows that there are trusted adults they can turn to for help.

We recognise that good mental health is not simply the absence of difficulties, but also the ability to develop positive relationships, manage emotions, build confidence and participate fully in school and community life.

Our Whole-School Approach

Promoting positive mental health and wellbeing is a shared responsibility and is embedded throughout our school culture, curriculum, relationships and everyday practice.

We take a proactive, preventative and inclusive approach, recognising the importance of early identification, appropriate support and strong partnerships with families.

Our approach focuses on:

A Safe and Nurturing Environment: Creating a caring school community where children feel emotionally and physically safe, accepted and respected.
Positive Relationships: Developing trusting relationships between pupils, staff and families, ensuring that children feel listened to and understood.
Emotional Literacy: Helping children recognise, understand, express and manage their emotions appropriately.
Resilience and Confidence: Supporting children to develop healthy coping strategies, independence, self-esteem and problem-solving skills.
Inclusion and Belonging: Recognising individual differences and ensuring that children with additional needs, disabilities or emotional vulnerabilities receive appropriate support.
Early Identification and Intervention: Recognising changes in behaviour, attendance, engagement or emotional wellbeing and responding promptly and sensitively.
Pupil Voice: Encouraging children to share their feelings, express their views and contribute to decisions that affect their school experience.
Partnership with Families: Working closely with parents and carers to provide consistent and effective support.
Staff Wellbeing: Recognising that the mental health and wellbeing of staff are essential to maintaining a positive, supportive school environment.

Developing Emotional Wellbeing Through Our Curriculum

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are woven throughout our curriculum and the wider life of the school.

Through Religious Education, Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE), physical education and our wider enrichment opportunities, children are supported to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to maintain positive mental health.

Our curriculum helps children to:

Recognise and name different emotions and understand that all feelings are valid.
Develop strategies for managing worries, disappointment, frustration and change.
Build healthy friendships and positive relationships.
Understand the importance of kindness, empathy, respect and forgiveness.
Recognise bullying and understand how to seek help.
Develop confidence, independence and a positive sense of self.
Understand the connection between physical health and mental wellbeing, including exercise, sleep, nutrition and relaxation.
Recognise when they or someone else may need additional emotional support.
Develop safe and responsible behaviours, including maintaining wellbeing in the digital world.

We encourage children to understand that asking for help is a sign of strength and that nobody should feel they have to manage difficult emotions alone.

Recognising and Responding to Mental Health Needs

We understand that children communicate their feelings in different ways. Some may openly express worries, while others may demonstrate changes in behaviour, friendships, attendance, concentration or engagement with learning.

Our staff are encouraged to remain alert to signs that a child may be experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties.

Where concerns arise, we take a sensitive, child-centred approach, which may include:

Listening carefully to the child and providing reassurance.
Working with parents and carers to understand their child's needs.
Providing appropriate pastoral support and regular opportunities to talk.
Making reasonable adjustments to the school environment or learning arrangements.
Working collaboratively with our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), safeguarding team and other relevant staff.
Seeking advice or support from external professionals where appropriate.
Reviewing the support provided to ensure that it remains effective.

We recognise that children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), those who have experienced trauma, bereavement or significant family changes, and children facing other challenges may require additional understanding and support.

Our approach is inclusive, compassionate and responsive to individual circumstances.

Pastoral Care and Early Intervention

At SS John and Monica's, we place great importance on knowing our children as individuals.

Our staff work together to identify concerns early and provide appropriate support before difficulties become more significant.

Depending on individual needs, support may include opportunities for children to talk with a trusted adult, targeted pastoral interventions, support with friendships and relationships, emotional regulation strategies and adjustments to classroom routines.

We recognise that some children may require more specialist support than a school can provide independently.

Where appropriate, and in partnership with parents and carers, we can seek advice, make referrals or signpost families to relevant external services.

School-based pastoral support complements, but does not replace, specialist assessment or treatment by qualified healthcare professionals.

Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers

We recognise that parents and carers know their children best and play a vital role in supporting their emotional development and wellbeing.

We are committed to developing open, trusting and supportive relationships with families.

We encourage parents to contact the school if they notice changes in their child's mood, behaviour, sleep, friendships, confidence or willingness to attend school.

We also encourage families to share any significant circumstances that may be affecting their child's emotional wellbeing, such as bereavement, separation, illness or other family difficulties.

By working together, we can develop a shared understanding of a child's needs and identify appropriate strategies to support them.

We aim to ensure that parents feel listened to, respected and supported, without judgement.

Pupil Voice – Every Child Matters

We believe that children should have meaningful opportunities to express their thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Through our School Council, classroom discussions, pupil voice activities and everyday conversations, we encourage children to share their views and contribute to the development of a happy, inclusive and supportive school community.

We actively promote a culture in which children understand that their opinions matter and that their concerns will be taken seriously.

Mental Health, Attendance and Inclusion

We recognise that emotional wellbeing and school attendance are closely connected.

For some children, anxiety, emotional difficulties, sensory needs or other barriers may affect their confidence and ability to attend school regularly.

We are committed to working sensitively with children and families to understand and address these barriers.

Where appropriate, we will consider individual support strategies, reasonable adjustments and advice from external professionals to help children feel safe, secure and able to engage positively in school life.

Our approach balances high expectations for attendance with compassion, understanding and a commitment to meeting individual needs.

Supporting Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing

We recognise that a positive school culture depends on the wellbeing of everyone within our community.

We are committed to promoting a supportive working environment in which staff feel valued, respected and able to seek help when needed.

Staff are encouraged to look after their own mental health, maintain positive professional relationships and access appropriate support.

We recognise that staff wellbeing has a direct impact on the quality of care, relationships and education we provide for our children.

Working with External Mental Health Services

While we provide a range of pastoral and emotional support within school, we recognise that some children and families may benefit from specialist advice, assessment or intervention.

Where appropriate, we work with or signpost families to external agencies and services, including:

Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs)

Mental Health Support Teams provide support for children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties in schools where this provision is available. They can also support schools in developing a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing.

Forward Thinking Birmingham

Forward Thinking Birmingham provides mental health services for children and young people aged 0–25 in Birmingham, including assessment, advice and specialist support for emotional and mental health difficulties.

Further information is available through the NHS:

Forward Thinking Birmingham – NHS

Other Specialist Services

Where appropriate, we may also work with educational psychologists, school nursing services, family support professionals, local authority services and voluntary organisations.

We understand the importance of timely intervention and will work with families to identify appropriate pathways for additional support.

Safeguarding and Mental Health

Mental health and safeguarding are closely connected.

All staff recognise that changes in a child's emotional wellbeing or behaviour may sometimes indicate an underlying safeguarding concern.

Where there are concerns about a child's safety or welfare, staff follow the school's safeguarding and child protection procedures.

Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) works closely with relevant staff and external agencies to ensure that children receive appropriate support and protection.

Information is treated sensitively and shared only where necessary and appropriate to safeguard and support the child.

Our Aims and Objectives

Through our whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing, we aim to:

Promote a positive, inclusive and supportive school culture in which mental health and emotional wellbeing are prioritised.
Help children develop emotional literacy, resilience, self-confidence and healthy coping strategies.
Ensure that children feel safe, valued, respected and confident to seek help when needed.
Identify emerging emotional and mental health difficulties at an early stage and provide timely, appropriate support.
Reduce stigma and promote understanding, empathy and acceptance of mental health difficulties.
Equip staff with the knowledge, confidence and understanding to recognise and respond appropriately to children's emotional needs.
Strengthen partnerships with parents, carers and external professionals to ensure a coordinated approach to supporting children.
Promote positive mental health and wellbeing through our curriculum, Catholic ethos and wider school experiences.
Support the mental health and wellbeing of staff, recognising their essential role in creating a nurturing learning environment.
Ensure that all children, regardless of their circumstances or individual needs, have opportunities to flourish academically, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

Senior Mental Health Lead

Our school's Senior Mental Health Lead is Mrs M. Elliott (Head Teacher).

The Senior Mental Health Lead supports the strategic development of our whole-school approach to mental health and emotional wellbeing, working collaboratively with school leaders, staff, pupils, families and relevant external agencies.

The role includes promoting a positive school culture, supporting early identification and appropriate intervention, and ensuring that mental health and wellbeing remain important priorities within school improvement.

Further Information and Support

If you have any concerns about your child's emotional wellbeing or mental health, we encourage you to contact the School Office to arrange a confidential conversation with an appropriate member of staff.

Families can also access information and advice from:

NHS – Every Mind Matters – Advice and resources to support mental wellbeing.
YoungMinds – Mental health information and support for children, young people and parents.
Anna Freud – Resources and guidance relating to children's mental health and wellbeing.
Forward Thinking Birmingham – Local NHS mental health support for children and young people.

If a child is experiencing an immediate mental health crisis or is at risk of serious harm, families should seek urgent professional assistance through NHS emergency services.

For more detailed information about our approach, please refer to our Pupil Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy, available below.