Mental Health & Wellbeing

At Pinewood, we believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that the school is a community where everyone can thrive.

Meet our Mental health and Wellbeing Team at Pinewood;

What is mental health?

The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act. Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum and can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.

What happens here at Pinewood?

In school, we teach children about what it means to have good mental health and wellbeing throughout our curriculum. Our PSHE learning focuses specifically on developing children’s social and emotional skills which can prevent poor mental health from developing and help all children cope effectively with setbacks and remain healthy. It is about helping children to understand and manage their thoughts, feelings and behaviour and build skills that help them to thrive through our values such as; kindness, resilience, independence and self-belief.

What if my child is experiencing difficulties with their mental health and wellbeing?

Mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time yet neither does it mean avoiding stresses altogether. One of the most important ways to help your child is to listen to them and take their feelings seriously. In many instances, children and young people’s concerns and worries usually pass with the support of their parents and families. It is helpful for the school to know what they are going through at these times, so that staff can be aware of the need and support this. Coping and adjusting to setbacks are critical life skills for children, just as they are for adults, but it is important that they are nurtured to develop positive coping strategies. If you are ever worried about your child’s mental health and wellbeing then, just as you would about any concerns that you have about their learning, come and talk to us. Sometimes children will need additional support for a short period – this may be in the form of a daily check-in with a trusted adult, time to talk through what they are feeling and support in developing ways of moving forwards with this.

Looking after yourself

If things are getting you down, it’s important to recognise this. Talk to someone you trust and see what they think. It is easy to go on struggling with very difficult situations because you feel that you should be able to cope and don’t deserve any help. Come and talk to us in confidence and let us know when things are tough. As much as you try to hide how you are feeling from your child, they will notice even the smallest changes. Asking for some support from your family, a friend or your doctor for a referral to a counselling service is a sign of strength. You can’t help your child if you are not being supported yourself