Healthy Minds, Happy Lives

Welcome to St Joseph's Mental Health and Wellbeing Support Page

Here at St Joseph's, we believe in promoting and supporting the emotional wellbeing and positive mental health of our children - we want them to enjoy the fullest life possible. 

To achieve this, we have a designated Senior Mental Health Lead, an Assistant Head for Inclusion, a dedicated Pastoral Support Team and a Mental Health and Wellbeing Staff Committee.

We believe that when the spiritual, social and emotional needs of our children are met, they will learn more effectively and will be happier in school. This is extremely important for our children, enabling them to develop as a whole-child, becoming confident young people, fully accessing the curriculum and experiencing the awe and wonder of life.  

Senior Mental Health Lead - Mrs Annabelle Spacagna

Assistant Head for Inclusion - Mrs Jennie Trimmer

Pastoral Team

Mrs Becky Sewell

Pastoral Lead

Mrs Catherine Alongi 

Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA)

How do we support the children's wellbeing?

Pupil Voice: 

St Joseph's has a pupil group of Wellbeing Ambassadors, which is led by our Pastoral Support Team. 

Their role is to:

• Promote positive mental health
• Offer support to children in the playground
• Utilise the Wellbeing Garden
• Make our school a happier and safer place to be
• Be kind and caring towards others
• Help make important decisions to influence change
• Promote and put in place the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’: Connect, Take Note, Give, Keep Learning and Be Active.

Wellbeing Spaces:

Every classroom across the school, from Nursery to Year 6, has a designated Wellbeing Area. This is a space of calm that children can access at all times to aid self-regulation. 

Within these Wellbeing Areas, is visible evidence of the school-wide cognitive approach designed to teach self-regulation and emotional control: The Zones of Regulation.

This supportive approach recognises all feelings as valid and promotes strategies to manage these feelings. When our children learn, through guidance and modelling, how to self-regulate, they develop positive mental health to navigate social situations.

Our Nursery:

In the Nursery, we endeavour to provide a high-quality, broad and inviting curriculum which is designed with the children’s interests and needs at the heart of it, together with creating a safe place for the children. Key people will take children’s interests and strengths as an initial starting point to ensure each child can become a competent learner. We also aim to teach core life skills which include manners, turn-taking, mutual respect, tolerance and helping others. 

We strive for the children to develop self-regulation and concentration skills to ensure high-quality learning takes place with a focus on their well-being and resilience. This is achieved through meaningful activities and experiences. For example, we spend time identifying our feelings by using a book called, ‘The Colour Monster’ and ‘The Feelings Colour Monster and The Emotions Toolkit’. We support the children in identifying their feelings linked to a colour and practice different skills to help them feel happier and calmer. 

In addition to this, we endeavour to develop healthy and meaningful relationships with staff and the children within the nursery. A key person will be assigned to your child and will support your child’s development and learning throughout their time within our Nursery. Furthermore, they will support your child in managing their feelings to aid sharing, collaborative play and to manage any conflict with their peers. 

Along with our curriculum aims, our staff promote a caring, respectful, empathetic, sensitive and patient environment, where the children feel listened to and accepted. 

Transition - Reception to Year 1

Throughout the Summer Term, teachers across the Infants swap classrooms on a Friday afternoon for ten minutes to read a story to another class. This gives the children an opportunity to meet the teachers from the year group above. 

Towards the end of June, Reception children and parents are invited to Year 1 after school one afternoon to explore the Year 1 environment (inside and outside) and meet the teachers. The classrooms are set up for continuous provision (where children learn through their own choice of play activity using the resources provided). 

In early July, the children will have their transition morning with the rest of the school where they will have time with their new teacher in their new classroom. On this day, every child will receive a transition booklet with photographs of the new classroom, teachers and things to look forward to in the year ahead. Any children who are struggling with the transition will be offered additional opportunities to meet with their new teacher and visit their new classroom more frequently.

When the children join Year 1 in September, there is a balance of small group learning and learning through play. Each week, every child will be completing a range of adult-led and independent activities for English and Maths. During the afternoons, we introduce the foundation subjects and whole class activities (where everyone completes a job at the same time).

As we move towards the end of the Autumn Term, continuous provision is reduced and adult-led activities increase. In the Spring Term, a full timetable of adult-led learning is implemented to increase children’s independence and aid their transition into Year 2. 

Transition - Year 2 to Year 3:

To help children transition from Infants to Juniors, we provide many opportunities for the Year 2 children to get used to their new environment.

In early June, each class will go with their current Year 2 teacher to spend three afternoons being taught in a Year 3 classroom. Each time they will visit a different classroom but their current teacher will always be with them. This ensures children still have their familiar adult whilst getting used to the different rooms in Year 3 and new locations of cloakrooms, toilets etc.

At the end of June, the Year 3 teachers come to Year 2 and will teach the children in their classrooms. The children will be with their usual class TA in their classroom so their surroundings will be familiar whilst they have the opportunity to get to know all of the Year 3 teachers.

In early July, the children will have their transition morning with the rest of the school where they will have time with their new teacher in their new classroom. After this, there will be another opportunity for the children to spend time with their new teacher again, when the Year 3 teachers come down to Year 2 again, this time teaching just the children who will be in their class.

Any children who are struggling with the transition will be offered additional opportunities to meet with their new teacher and visit the Junior building more frequently.

Nutritional Wellbeing: 

Nutritional wellbeing at St. Joseph’s is key in helping the children make good dietary choices. If their bodies, minds and souls are healthy and fed, then they concentrate more and are ready for learning. 

From Nursery to Year 6, children: 

• Learn about different types and styles of foods from around the world
• Have the opportunity to try a wide variety of ingredients 
• Develop their understanding of the food groups and creating a balanced diet
• Are encouraged to eat healthy snacks at breaktime 
• Enjoy nutritionally balanced school dinners prepared onsite daily - “Our dinners are delicious!” 

Food knowledge and understanding is developed through PSHE, Science, Design and Technology. It is an integral part of every school day.

Some areas of targeted, individualised support our Pastoral Team offers our children include:

• Anger management
• Anxiety
• Emotional awareness
• Loss and Bereavement (including family breakups)
• Relationship/Friendship difficulties
• Resilience
• Self-esteem
• Social Skills

Accessing Pastoral Support 

If you have any concerns about your child's mental health and wellbeing, please speak to their class teacher who will make a referral to the team. Alternatively, you can contact Mrs Jennie Trimmer, Assistant Head for Inclusion: jtrimmer@stjosephsguildford.com or Mrs Annabelle Spacagna, Senior Mental Health Lead: deputy@stjosephsguildford.com 

School Nurse

Our school nurse is also able to work with families to support children with healthy eating, toileting and sleep.  Contact Mrs Trimmer for a referral to this service.

Resources

Here are some resources that you may find helpful:

Regular Mental Health and Wellbeing Newsletter

Here's a great parenting page from Place2Be for support with a range of common parenting challenges:

Short clips to support families with the pressure of parenting, formulated by researchers and NHS mental health experts.

Bereavement, Loss and Anxiety presentation by Mrs Catchpole and Mrs Sewell, to support families with understanding and helping children. 

Sleeping tips and strategies to support children to settle and get a good night's sleep.

Tom Repton, Community Connector from the Surrey Family Information Service, came to talk to us at our coffee morning in October 2023. I thought it would be useful to share his presentation with you all. He talked about a range of services that are available to families living in Surrey such as childcare, after school clubs, parenting courses and activities for the holidays. He also signposted a range of organisations to seek help for children suffering with anxiety.  If you would like any further information then please do not hesitate to contact me: rsewell@stjosephsguildford.com