Rack House Primary School

In implementing the eight principles promoting whole school mental health, a number of roles and responsibilities are identified.

• Mental Health Lead-Liam O’Toole
• Pastoral Lead and School Counsellor -Rick Corbett
• SENDCO- Katie Hanson
• Wellbeing Link Governor-Michael Wigelsworth

Rack House's approach to curriculum and teaching is centered around three interweaving strategies:

1) Whole School approaches

All pupils at Rack House Primary are taught "Zones of Regulation' (ZoR) an evidence-based approach to thinking and talking about emotions.  ZoR are a regular part of classroom practice, from EYFS to KS2.

A regular schedule of explicit topics are presented in whole school assemblies throughout the year, including anti-bullying week (November), mental health awareness days/weeks (Feburary, May), and Pride Month (June). 

2) Whole class

All Pupils received a designated PSHE lesson at least once a week, linking to Whole School themes, and offering explict teaching and learning of mental health and wellbeing topics. Materials are developmentally sequenced - e.g. positive body image is discussed in Year 6. 

Several after-school clubs have a mental health and wellbeing focus e.g. Mindfulness club and Gardening club.

3) Targeted support

Additional resourcing is provided in a flexible and child-centered approach to mental health and wellbeing, offering additional support as needed. For instance, 'Room to Think', 'Nuture Groups', and ad-hoc Sensory facilities are available and can be offered as part of a support package or self-elected by pupils themselves (see 'Targeted Support').

Rack House has a range of different approaches to monitoring; drawing upon different sources of information to inform as complete a picture of pupil mental health and wellbeing as possible:

1) Child self-assessement measures using validated instruments and self-selection

Robust summary statistics are used to 'temperature check' the school through the use of brief surveys (i.e. the Student's Life Satisfaction survey used with all of Year 5). More targeted measures are used with smaller cohorts to assess the imapct of intervention strategies (eg. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire).   Children can also self-nominate and report thier own wellbeing though the use of the school's Worry Box.

2) Adult informed assessment

Adult assessment is completed through the use of established measures including Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires,  regular PSHE assessments, and observation as and where necessary. Following extensive training, all staff are proactive in considering external indicators of mental health and wellbeing. 

3) Consultation and communication

Mental health and wellbeing is everyone's business.  Rack House operates frequent pastoral meetings with relevant stakeholders (including teachers, parents, support staff, Educational Psychologists, etc) to discuss how best to support key children. Zones of Regulation is used to enable children to be able to communicate their own feelings. 

We are exceptionally proud of the diversity found within our school!

As a Gold Rights Respecting School, our approach to respect, diversity and inclusion is summarised best by Article 2 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - 'All children have these rights, no matter who they are, where the live, what their parents do, what language they speak, what their religion is, whether they are a boy or girl, what their culture is, whether they have a disability, whether they are rich or poor. No child should be treated unfairly on any basis.' 

We have a thoroughly inclusive curriculum, not just through extensive teaching in PSHE. Alongside the curriculum, we celebrate or take part in the following:-

1) As a whole school, we have regular world culture days, throughout the year. Every year group focuses on a different culture each time, so the children learn about as many as possible throughout their time in school. We make sure to choose cultures and religions which represent minorities in our school community.  If they are happy to do so, children from those cultures are encouraged to help lead the lessons and teach their peers about their own culture. 

2) British Values are promoted throughout school. As part of the PSHE Curriculum, the relevant British Value is highlighted and discussed in every lesson, where applicable. 

3) Our SEND and EAL children attend designated sports events through City in the Community and Manchester United. They feedback extremely positively and clearly enjoy these events. 

4) We work closely with Manchester Healthy Schools to ensure that Anti-Bullying Week is an important event in school. The children learn about celebrating difference and treating each other kindly. We enter the Manchester Healthy Schools poster competition, have designated lessons and assemblies and celebrate Odd Socks Day. We focus on cyber-bullying, with our year 6 leaders running a campaign to gain feedback from peers and teach a social media and online kindness lesson, alongside with their teachers. 

5) In Early Years, the pupils have regular circle times in which they learn about celebrating difference and being inclusive. 

6) During Black History Month, we recognise, value and celebrate important and inspirations individuals and events from past and present who have contributed to our society. Similarly, on International Women's Day, we celebrate significant individuals from around the world. While it's important to celebrate these events, we ensure that themes of respect for all are priorities throughout the year. 

Our school life continues to be underpinned by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Treating others with respect is in our school DNA and runs through everything we do. Our pupil leaders decided to award a child from each key stage, including EYFS, a trophy and certificate for exemplary Respectful behaviour. The steering group children stood up in assembly to explain the award to their peers. We have Rights Respecting Class Charters in every classroom for staff and pupils, We use a restorative justice approach in terms of our behaviour/relationships policy. Our children’s right to wellbeing is now a whole school Key Priority and is on the School Development plan. We are a thoroughly inclusive school. 

A wide range of PSHE strategies are in place away from the classroom, which contribute to the development of the children’s social and emotional well-being.

1) Room to Think

The school’s Learning Mentor and School Councillor works in conjunction with class teachers to address specific issues relating to the Children’s mental health and PSHE. This takes place mainly in the school’s therapeutic inclusion room, Room to Think. Room to Think has many different aims and functions. It provides an opportunity for children to talk about their feelings around school, or any issues that are on their mind, and to be listened to in a caring, nurturing environment. Counselling and therapy techniques are used to help our children explore and understand those feelings so they can find strategies to improve their mental health, manage their feelings and be more successful in class and life.

Specific interventions take place, for example children are supported with bereavements using books such as, 'When Something Terrible Happens' or 'Muddles, Puddles and Sunshine'. Children learn practical strategies to manage feelings of anxiety or anger, linked to books such as 'The Huge Bag of Worries' and 'A Volcano in my Tummy'. 

Room to Think is an extremely positive environment with initiatives to praise and reward children for working hard to achieve things they are proud of. This will motivate children to believe in themselves, do their best in class and build high self-esteem. Through group work, children establish friendships, learn from their peers, and support each other. Our whole-school approach is that if a child feels emotionally supported in school, they are more likely to focus on their learning in class.

2) Pathways

Pathways is our Specialist Resourced Provision which provides for children with a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or Speech and Language Communication Needs. Please see the Pathways page on our website for more information. 

We have a Speech and Language Team, based in Pathways, who are available one day a week. They provide targeted support for our pupils, for example with social skills groups or using the Zones of Regulation to manage emotions. 

We also work closely with an Occupational Therapist, who supports sensory development and conditioning.

3) Mindfulness Club

We run a targeted mindfulness after-school club, available to Key Stage 1. Examples of activities include yoga, relaxation techniques and mindfulness colouring. 

4) Targeted Support for Families

Our SENDCO works alongside our Senior Mental Health Lead to make CAMHS referrals. 

Our pastoral team are trained to support families with Early Help Assessments and referrals to local support, such as Wood Street Mission and The Wythenshawe Family Hub. 

We hold regular coffee mornings with specific themes, designed to target and support our community. 

Enabling pupil voice throughout school is an essential component of pupil development and positive wellbeing. We want our children to work with school staff to lead on decisions and activities, thereby feeling included and valued. 

1) Pupil Leaders

Every class from years 1 to 6 has democratically elected Rights Respecting School Councillors, Eco Warriors and Sports Leaders. In year 6, we have prefects, deputies and head children. 

Our school provides lots of further opportunities for student voice such as:                                                     

• Pupil voice survey of wellbeing in school.

• Assemblies led by children.

• Playground buddies.

2) UNICEF Rights Respecting

The UNICEF Rights Respecting page on our website details some great examples of how the children have been empowered through pupil voice. 

As a Gold Rights Respecting school, we follow Article 12 - Children have the right to give their opinion and for adults to listen and take it seriously. School Councillors regularly gain class feedback on areas we can improve or change in school, which is discussed with SLT, and acted upon. Ideas from this which have impacted wellbeing positively include the school buddy bench and wet play boxes. 

3) Pupil Voice and Wellbeing

Through our whole-school use of Zones of Regulation and Worry Boxes (designed and introduced by the class leaders), the children are able to express their feelings and use strategies to manage them. 

Our aim is to is to develop children's social and leadership skills, to make sure they understand their right to be heard and for school to be a positive and uplifting experience. 

Staff Development

We recognise that to support children’s mental health and well-being effectively it is important to promote staff wellbeing. All staff have full access to the Employee Assistance Programme: a service which offers advice, counselling, and support to staff members for professional and personal problems.

We provide:

• Staff training for everyone.

• Open door policy for staff to talk to Phase Leads/SMT/SLT.

• Half termly wellbeing breakfast briefing.

• Social events.

• Regular information/advice on our staff wellbeing board (Teacher Shout Outs).

To support all parents, we:

• Make our mental health policy readily available to parents on our school website.

• Ensure parents know who they can speak to if they have concerns about their own child’s mental health or a child’s friend. A letter is sent out to all parents/carers at the start of each year, detailing the school play-therapy service and who to contact.

1) Working with parents or carers of a child with an identified Mental Health difficulty

We understand that parents and carers may react in different ways to knowing their child has a mental health difficulty and we endeavour to be both sensitive and supportive.

The Designated Safeguarding Lead will:

• Contact parents or carers and arrange a meeting with them (although there may be some circumstances where this doesn’t happen, such as if there has been an identified safeguarding incident).

• Offer information that can be taken away.

• Be available for follow up meetings or calls.

• Explain to parents about how they can help their child.

• Keep parents and carers up to date on interventions/support given to child in school.

• Support parents to access services outside of school, where appropriate.

2) Supporting parents and children with parent’s mental health needs

We are aware that we need to support parents with their mental health and wellbeing to enable them to support their child/ren.

Our school has developed a range of support for parents, these include:

• Agenda based coffee mornings every half term for all parents and carers

• Workshops linking to family wellbeing

• Support from family support worker

• Opportunities to talk with SLT (senior leadership team)

• Referrals to Children’s services for family support (with parental permission)