Within Bladon Primary School, we recognise that for a child to thrive, their support network must also be supported. We therefore recognise the importance of providing a whole school. community approach to mental health and are committed to supporting pupils, families, staff and governors.

To support this, we have a designated mental health team, who work closely with the senior leadership team to ensure that positive mental health wellbeing is a main focus across our school.

 

 

Our mental health team:

  • Karen Horn who is our mental health lead, as well as being the Home School Link Worker and SEN TA. Karen works closely with the school team, families, pupils and outside agencies to ensure that appropriate assessments, support, strategies and policies are in place to support positive mental health across our school community.  If you have any questions or concerns relating to any mental health or wellbeing issues, please feel free to contact Karen either through the school office on 01993 811192 or via email: k.horn@bladon.oxon.sch.uk
  • Michael Daw is the Year 2/3 class teacher as well as PSHCE lead. Mr Daw ensures that mental health and wellbeing is taught across the PSHCE curriculum both through lessons and whole-school assemblies. Through our day-to-day teachings we focus on supporting pupils to develop resilience and self confidence, and supporting pupils to develop strategies to identify and manage their own mental health needs.
  • Hannah Rawstorne is the school ELSA, providing child specific emotional literacy support on a 1:1 basis, as well as working with the classroom.
  • Emma Verity is a parent governor; she has a degree in childhood studies, is a trained teacher and also has her own business in teaching music classes to children.

 

Our mental health vision statement

Our vision is to create a whole-school community approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing by:

  • Raising awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing as a focus across the whole school community
  • Ensuring all members of our school community have a voice  in relation to mental health. This will include governors, staff, pupils and families.
  • Promoting positive emotional and physical development for all pupils
  • Working closely with families to help recognise signs of mental health concerns and addressing concerns as they arise
  • Supporting children and their families in implementing effective coping strategies and having access to effective support
  • Supporting staff to recognise their own and colleagues’ wellbeing needs, and having access to effective support as required

 

We aim to achieve this through:

  • Close links between school, families and outside agencies.
  • Views of all school members being regularly identified and addressed through mental health and wellbeing surveys, regular whole-school Dojo messages and also by encouraging families, staff and governors to contact the mental health team with any specific concerns or thoughts.
  • For school policies to reflect the focus on Mental Health and wellbeing, including the recruitment policy
  • For processes to be put in place that ensure all members of the school community are aware of support available from both within the school as well as how to access external support.
  • Effective communication across the school community through Class Dojo, school website, suggestion boxes, pupil mental health advocates and an allocated Mental Health support team
  • Education for staff, families and the children through assemblies, workshops and links to Mental Health support groups and charities
  • Information through school’s designated health and wellbeing webpage
  • Teaching coping mechanisms through Mental Health events, assemblies and class activities, as well as pupil specific 1-1/group support sessions