Mental Health & Wellbeing

At St Aidan’s, we are deeply committed to promoting and protecting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of all members of our school community—children, staff, and families. Guided by our Catholic values and mission of “Learning and Growing Together; Inspired by the Love of Jesus,” we believe that emotional wellbeing is the foundation for every child to thrive spiritually, socially, and academically.

We take a whole-school, team-based approach to mental health, creating a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment where every child feels supported, heard, and valued. Our comprehensive support offer includes:

Support for Pupils’ Mental Health and Wellbeing:

• Access to our Thrive Lead Practitioner for personalised, targeted emotional support
• Support from the Mental Health Support Team, providing weekly individual and group therapy sessions
• Sessions with our Learning Mentor, offering small group and 1:1 SEMH interventions
• Support from our much-loved PAT Dog, providing comfort and calm
• Sensory Room – a dedicated calming space designed to help children regulate emotions and reduce anxiety through sensory experiences
• Living Room – a calm, welcoming space used for reflection, emotional support, and sessions with outside agencies
• Lego Therapy to support emotional expression and social communication
• Sensory Circuits for regulation and focus at the start of the day
• Dedicated SEMH intervention groups, led by our Behaviour Mentor, MJ, to support resilience and confidence
• Whole-school use of the Zones of Regulation, helping children recognise and manage their emotions
• Worry Boxes in classrooms and a Virtual Worry Box for parents to raise concerns directly (helpathome@staidanscatholicprimary.com)
• Access to the My Happy Mind programme, which promotes positive mental health and resilience through practical tools and activities
• A Behaviour Policy that emphasises positive behaviour strategies, restorative conversations, and emotional regulation
• Play Leaders who help create a safe and happy environment during break and lunchtimes
• A robust Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy to safeguard all pupils
• Reward systems that promote self-worth, effort and personal growth
• Strong partnerships with external agencies such as CAMHS, Mental Health Support Teams, Young Carers, and Behaviour Support
• A clear and embedded Safeguarding Policy and procedures ensuring timely support and protection
• Ongoing signposting for parents to appropriate services and support networks
• Annual participation in Children’s Mental Health Week, raising awareness and promoting strategies for self-care and emotional resilience

Support for Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing

We recognise that staff wellbeing is essential to maintaining a healthy, thriving school culture. At St. Aidan’s, we support our staff through a variety of wellbeing initiatives and practical measures designed to promote a positive work-life balance and emotional resilience, including:

• Option to take PPA sessions from home, with PPA time protected and guaranteed
• Availability of calm and quiet workspaces around the school for focused work and reflection
• Access to online CPD at flexible times to suit individual staff schedules
• Timetabled hours dedicated to report writing, monitoring, and self-evaluation of teaching practice
• Half a day per year dedicated to individual wellbeing, which can be taken on the same day as PPA
• A strong commitment to workload reduction embedded in school policies such as the Feedback and Marking Policy, with this understanding upheld and prioritised by the Senior Leadership Team in all decision making
• Respect for working hours, including a clear understanding that emails may not be responded to outside of school hours, weekends, or holidays
• Ongoing support and understanding from the Leadership Team to help staff maintain a healthy work-life balance
• Amenities around school including tea, coffee, filtered water, and toiletries to support day-to-day comfort
• Availability of in-school coaching and mentoring sessions to support professional growth and wellbeing
• Access to Occupational Health services and the Vivup 24/7 Employee Assistance Helpline
• Free access to The Education Support Partnership, a confidential helpline and support service for all education professionals across the UK, contactable at 08000 562 561 and online at www.educationsupportpartnership.org.uk

At St Aidan’s, we strive to create a supportive, respectful environment where our staff feel valued, cared for, and empowered to bring their best selves to their vital work with our children.