At our school, wellbeing is a top priority. We know that children learn best when they feel safe, valued and understood. Supporting their emotional health is just as important as supporting their academic progress. That’s why wellbeing is not just something we talk about occasionally - it is at the heart of everything we do. Every classroom has a 'peaceful place' for reflection and to support children to regulate. Children are encouraged to have at least 5 trusted adults and we complete activities around this in school. We also have worry monsters/ boxes as an outlet for worries in school. Children can also use our online worry box if they need an outlet out of school hours:
In her role as SENCO, and Mental Health Lead; Mrs Wallace co-ordinates the Welfare provision at the school.
If you have any concerns about the welfare or wellbeing of your child, please contact your child's class teacher in the first instance who will be very happy to discuss your concerns and find ways that we can help.
Young Minds
NSPCC
Mind - parenting with a mental problem
Anna Freud (National Centre for Children and Families)
NHS Every Mind Matters
Keep your head
ELSA
At Sutton, we are lucky to have an Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSA).
Mrs Braybrooke has special training from an Educational Psychologist to support the emotional development of children and young people in school. ELSAs have regular professional supervision from educational psychologists to help them in their work.
Our ELSA aims to help children:
- Develop coping strategies and talk about difficulties.
- Interact more successfully with others.
- Develop greater self-awareness manage school better and feel better about themselves.
- Pupils with an ELSA feel they have been listened to and supported.
Children are worked with either on a 1:1 basis or in small groups and parents are always made aware.
At Sutton, we are proud to be a 'Thrive' school. Thrive is a whole-school approach that helps children develop confidence, resilience and positive relationships. It is based on the latest research in child development and neuroscience, helping us to better understand how children grow, learn and manage their feelings. We use 'Thrive online' termly to assess children's wellbeing and provide us with practical strategies to support every child, whether they need a little boost in confidence or more targeted 1:1/group support with our wellbeing team (Miss Camper, Mrs Braybrooke and Mrs Kent). Our commitment to wellbeing links closely with our school values and ethos. We want our children to understand that all feelings are valid and that it is okay to ask for help.
Miss Camper and Mrs Kent are our licenced THRIVE Practitioners in school.
