Leigh Beck Infant and Nursery Academy Wellbeing Strategy

2021-2024

Foreword

I am pleased to welcome you to Leigh Beck Infant and Nursery Academy Wellbeing Strategy for 2021-2024.

Our strategy looks at the areas of wellbeing and mental health that we believe can make the most difference to our staff, pupils and parents in the school community.  Our aims are to ensure that all stakeholders are able to maintain positive wellbeing and mental health, for best possible outcomes in life, no matter what their circumstances are.

Strategic overview

To implement the above vision, the Head teacher and Governors committed to this being the core area of focus for 2021/2022 and 2023/2024. The school improvement plan is based on building resilience in pupils and the school has also committed to working towards achieving the Wellbeing Award for Schools. The appointed wellbeing team will be responsible for promoting the wellbeing and positive mental health of pupils, staff and parents.

Vision Statement

At Leigh Beck Infant and Nursery Academy we commit to making it our mission to promote resilience and positive wellbeing for all our pupils and staff.  We understand wellbeing as a state of being comfortable, healthy and happy.  We will drive the message forward, to ensure that mental health is “everyone’s business” across the whole school community.  We will strive to create an environment that has a whole school approach, in providing excellent mental health support, understanding and intervention.  We will put wellbeing at the heart of our school to ensure successful learning and commit to our policies reflecting this.

Goals

Objective One :–

The whole school is committed to promoting and protecting emotional wellbeing and mental health by achieving the wellbeing award.
 

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

Mental health and wellbeing is recognised by the SLT as being vital to the development of all stakeholders. The school have committed to this being a core area of focus over a two-year period.
The whole school community is continuously being reminded about the award. Our children and staff are committed to making wellbeing an essential part of the school journey.
The change team meets regularly and staff council also have an input in wellbeing strategies.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

The School Improvement Plan is based on developing resilience and independence in pupils. All teaching staff have a performance management target based on the core principles from the School Improvement Plan.
The SLT and the Governing Body has committed to the achievement of the Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS)
Children have taken part in pupil voice and class questionnaires that have been used to further development.

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Create an action plan which is accessible to all staff.

Develop a wellbeing section on the school website that can be accessed by parents and staff.

Produce a regular wellbeing newsletter which updates both staff and parents about our journey to achieving the Wellbeing for Award for Schools.

Regular communication with staff about what is happening around the school in relation to wellbeing and mental health.

Wellbeing and mental health to have a regular section on the agenda for governing body meetings.

 

Objective Two :–

The school has a clear vision and strategy for promoting and protecting emotional wellbeing and mental health, which is communicated to all involved with the process

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

Although the school’s vision statement refers to nurturing children and building resilience it needs a greater focus on promoting and protecting wellbeing and mental health.

An audit has identified areas of strengths and also gaps within the provision we provide.

The school provides a range of interventions and support packages for pupils depending on their needs. We can liaise with the counsellor (Bonnie) over at Northwick Park. There are lots of ideas that have been shared about how to move forward with promoting wellbeing and mental health.

The School Improvement Plan is focussed on building resilience and independence in pupils. All teaching staff worked together to formulate the ideas that were used to create the plan and everybody has a performance management target linked to a specific section of the plan.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

The stakeholder evaluations showed that most parents and children believe that the school does have a clear vision for promoting and protecting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

The pupil stakeholder evaluations showed that pupils believe that the school really care about them and how they are feeling and that they are able to get help when they are feeling worried or upset (98%)

Parent’s evaluations showed that they know that good emotional wellbeing and mental health is important to the school. Parents believe that the school cares about the children’s emotional wellbeing and mental health and it is a high priority.

Teaching staff’s performance management for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 years all have a target linked to the school improvement plan of building resilience and developing independence

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

The school’s policies are currently being updated and relevant policies will be audited to ensure that they reflect the work we are doing on emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Staff stakeholder evaluations showed that some staff feel that their emotional wellbeing and mental health is not valued as much as the children, that there are not many people to talk to. Staff wellbeing is forming a large part of our action plan and we are committed to ensuring that the staff feel that their emotional wellbeing and mental health is also a priority. 

 

Objective Three –

The school has a positive culture which regards the emotional wellbeing and mental health as the responsibility of all

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

The stakeholder evaluations show that staff, parents and pupils all agree about the importance of emotional wellbeing and mental health.

There are already many interventions and activities in place that promote the importance of emotional wellbeing and mental health.

SMSC groups have been going since September 2022 and it is a great opportunity to promote emotional wellbeing.

The school improvement plan is focussed on building resilience and all teaching staff had input into the creation of the plan and have a responsibility for carrying out a section.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

The stakeholder evaluations provide evidence that the school regards emotional wellbeing and mental health as the responsibility of all and that the stakeholders understand and are in agreement with this.

The staff stakeholder evaluations provided evidence that staff understand that they contribute to promoting emotional wellbeing and mental health within the school and that they believe that everyone involved with the school needs to support and look after each other when it comes to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

95% of parental evaluations agreed that everyone in the school supports each other if they are feeling worried or upset. One parent said “Staff throughout the school are regularly available for providing support” and another quoted “We always feel supported by all members of staff”

 The School Improvement Plan is in place and all teaching staff are aware of the part they need to play through their individual performance management target.

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Link PSHE curriculum to ensure that children have taught sessions about emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Health and wellbeing week to be held each year.

Celebrate ‘Happy Day’ every year and create activities to create more awareness.

We aim to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health so that all stakeholders feel that they can talk about their feelings.

Pupil voice to be carried out regularly using school council as a forum.

Staff council, ‘drop in and chat sessions’ and supervision will be used to discuss emotional wellbeing and mental health and share ideas.

 

Objective Four :-

The School actively promotes staff emotional wellbeing and mental health

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

SLT discuss teacher’s workload regularly. School reports have been streamlined and teaching staff are given time during staff meetings for tasks that need to be completed.

There is a shout out board in the staffroom although its use needs to be encouraged. The school run a successful staff secret buddy club scheme and all staff are welcome to attend a social event on the last day of each term. 

Performance management for teachers is carried out at the start of each academic year and a mid-year review held. Appraisals for Learning Support Assistants have not been fully established. Little Bears staff have supervision as does the Academy Counsellor.  Staff emotional wellbeing and mental health has been identified as an area for development.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

The staff stakeholder evaluations have identified staff wellbeing as a weakness.

Staff stakeholder evaluations showed that some staff feel that their emotional wellbeing and mental health has improved but we still need to address certain areas.

Staff felt that the school offers good quality support for staff’s emotional wellbeing and mental health and felt the school actively encourages them to be open about how they are feeling. 

Staff felt everyone looks out for each other and know they contribute in the promotion of wellbeing. Leigh Beck Infants is a caring place and feelings are taken into consideration.

Performance Management forms have been adapted to include a section on emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We have created staff newsletters.

We have done staff breakfasts in the mornings.

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Create a wellbeing policy which includes a section relating to staff.

Hold regular monthly events – staff to suggest what they would like to do – Once a month club.

Staff wellbeing to be on the agenda for each staff council meeting and a member of the change team will attend.

 

Objective Five :-

The school prioritises professional learning and staff development on emotional wellbeing and mental health

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

The staff have already undertaken many CPD opportunities. In the Spring term all staff attended training around ADHD and anxiety. Teaching staff have also recently had anxiety and attachment training by the Local Authority Educational Psychologist. All staff also had health and safety at work training.  We have just had a member of staff attend a two-day training course to become the designated Mental Health First Aider for the school.

There is a planned programme of CPD which includes staff development on emotional wellbeing and mental health
We have a qualified Mental Health First Aider at the school.

Staff stakeholder evaluations provide evidence that CPD of staff is a priority for the school but they also felt there was more to learn.

In the staff stakeholder evaluations, they believed that increasing staff’s awareness, understanding and skills in relation to emotional wellbeing and mental health is a priority for the school.

However, many felt they had the knowledge and skills needed to address emotional wellbeing and mental health. 

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

All staff to have a basic foundation level of training around emotional wellbeing and mental health.

The Nature Friendly Schools project that we are about to embark on will have links to emotional wellbeing and there will be training provided.

The anxiety training to further enhance our understanding of wellbeing and what we can do to develop this.

Appraisals to be used to identify any other training needs.

Objective Six :-

The school understands the different types of emotional and mental health needs across the whole-school community and has systems in place to respond appropriately

 What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

Clear systems and structures are in place in the school. Identification of concerns or issues from any staff member are recorded on the appropriate coloured slips depending on the incident/concern and a member of SLT and/or the School Counsellor is informed. Each month a ‘caring and sharing’ meeting is held with key stakeholders within the school including SLT, School Counsellor, pastoral care, SENCO and attendance officer where we discuss individual cases and monitor interventions that have been out in place.

Pupils have the opportunity to attend ‘drop in’ sessions where they can share any worries or concerns they have.  Identified children have regular relaxation sessions during the week. Michelle Yarwood has been using break times to let children take ‘time out’ and talk to her.

There are other activities that take place that address wellbeing including yoga, mindfulness, walk a mile, Jumpstart Johnny and Forest School. For many years the school has held an annual wellbeing week. Over the past two years, we have focussed on the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ and committed a whole half term to teach the children about each way in the lead up to Children’s Mental Health Week.

SMSC groups have been identified and activities tailored to these children.

There is a varying degree of confidence between the staff of their ability to identify and respond appropriately to signs of emotional or mental distress in pupils.

A brand new library has been going since September 2023.

Calming tables introduced for KS1 and Reception have a room which can be used if a child needs some time out.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

Stakeholder evaluations provide evidence that the school understands emotional and mental health needs and has systems in place to respond appropriately.

Saff who completed the stakeholder evaluation said the school offers good quality support for pupils with emotional wellbeing and mental health difficulties.

Some staff feel confident to deal with emotional distress and mental health needs whilst others require more training or support.

The staff stakeholder evaluations show that staff believe they can identify and respond to signs of emotional or mental distress in pupils.

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Continue to make assessments of pupils needs.
Research the toolkit on Public Health England and how it can be used to measure and monitor children’s mental health.
Look at the progress made by EYFS pupils against the Early Learning Goals 6,7 and 8 as a way of identifying concerns in younger children.

All staff to have a basic foundation level of training around emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Support staff to have training around anxiety and attachment.

Objective Seven :-

The school actively seeks the ongoing participation of the whole-school community in its approach to emotional wellbeing and mental health

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

The school actively seeks the ongoing participation of the whole school community in a range of areas including our approach to emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We have a school council which is used effectively as part of pupil voice. A staff council was established around five years ago with representatives from different areas of the school.

We pride ourselves on the strong links we have with our parents, they are very supportive of what the school does and the majority believe the staff are approachable. We have also held parent mindfulness sessions in the past.

Our SENCO meets with the parents of children she is working with and speaks to many others on the telephone.

One parent commented ‘teachers are friendly and readily available’ and another said ‘I know who to go to as they are all happy to help’’

A parent also commented ‘The teachers are always there for us’

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Ensure that the agenda for each school council and staff council meeting includes a discussion around emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Continue to create stakeholder evaluations for pupils, parents and staff in July and again in November and use the results to adapt the action plan.

Wellbeing information board to be updated regularly in staffroom.

Regular update about progress towards the award in Governors meetings.

 

Objective Eight :-

The school works in partnership with other schools, agencies and available specialist services to support emotional wellbeing and mental health

What We Have Achieved/ Where We are Now 

The Head teacher, School Counsellor and SENCO have good links with outside agencies including the School Nurse, Behaviour Support Services, Educational Psychologists, CAVs and EWMHS.

The school is part of the Canvey Schools Partnership and the Head teacher regularly attends meetings with local head teachers and there is a sharing of resources. 

The school is part of the Canvey Schools Partnership and the Head teacher regularly attends meetings with local head teachers and there is a sharing of resources.

We have links Little Lion’s Family Hub and we information to share to parents should they need it.

We are linking with Healthy Schools to promote physical wellbeing and ensure that being healthy is part of this plan.

How We Know This/ Key Evidence

We are effectively able to signpost relevant services to parents.

Our links through the Canvey Schools Partnership enabled a selection of our staff to have County Lines training delivered by two members of staff from the local secondary school.

Next Steps/Further Desired Outcomes

Continue to promote and strengthen links and utilise services.

Investigate anxiety sessions for KS1 pupils delivered by CAVS.

Research local mental health forums and whether a representative from the school can attend.