Mental Health and Wellbeing
Supporting our school community
At Wellsprings School, we are committed to promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to all pupils, their families and members of staff and governors. Our open culture allows pupils’ voices to be heard, and with effective policies and procedures, we ensure a safe and supportive environment for all affected - both directly and indirectly - by mental health issues.
At Wellsprings Primary School, it is our vision that all children are entitled to develop to their fullest potential academically, socially, emotionally and into healthy individuals. This will enable each child to grow in confidence and be able to fully participate in everything that goes on in the wider community with confidence. It is widely recognised that a child’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning, as well as their physical and social health and their mental wellbeing in adulthood. The department of Education recognises that, in order to help their pupils succeed: schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy.
In addition to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing, we aim to recognise and respond to need as it arises. In an average classroom, three children will be suffering from a diagnosable mental health issue; however, we recognise that many classrooms may have a higher number of children than this.
Our belief as a school is, that by developing and implementing practical, relevant and effective mental health procedures, we can promote a safe and stable environment for children affected both directly and indirectly by mental health issues.
Our key roles in our school are:
Our safeguarding email is at safeguarding@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk.
Headteacher/Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Mark Lunn
Governor Safeguarding Lead: Jasmine Wark
Inclusion Lead and DDSL: Jane Holcombe
inlcusion@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
EYFS Lead and DDSL: Catherine Lang
eyfs@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
Mental Health Lead and DDSL: Nicky Hatton
Mental Health Governor: Trisha Budd
wellbeing@wellsprings.somerset.sch.uk
Our Mental Health and Wellbeing approach is informed by existing DfE guidance:
Alternative Provision (statutory guidance)
Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools(advice for schools)
Preventing and Tackling Bullying(advice for schools, including advice on cyberbullying)
Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools (advice for schools)
The Equality and Human Rights Commission Advice and Guidance(provides advice on avoiding discrimination in a variety of educational contexts)
Promoting Fundamental British Values as part of SMSC in schools(guidance for maintained schools on promoting basic important British values as part of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC)
SMSC requirements for independent schools (guidance for independent schools on how they should support pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development).
Please see our Mental Health and Wellbeing policy:
Please visit the Somerset Children and Young People Health and Wellbeing website to see how well our school has done in a County-wide project.
We are one of nine schools who have achieved the award in the whole of Somerset (over 250 schools!) Of those nine Wellsprings was one of the very few to achieve a TWO star rating- this highest attained so far since the audit has been running. Well done to the team!
Somerset children & young people : Health & Wellbeing : Wellbeing Framework Schools Taking Part
Somerset Big Tent https://www.somersetbigtent.org.uk
Empowering children and young people to find the right wellbeing support at the right time.
Young Minds website and parent helpline https://www.youngminds.org.uk
Open Mental Health https://openmental health.org.uk
24 hours a day 7 days a week Tel 01823276892 or Freephone 08001381692
Somerset Recovery College
https://somersetrecoverycollege.co.uk
A college providing courses. Offers opportunities to learn about Mental Health and recovery by providing a unique curriculum designed to increase your knowledge.
MindEd offers safe and reliable advice about young people’s mental health, created by experts and parents together https://mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people/
Allsorts Youth Project- Allsorts Youth Project listens to, connects & supports children & young people under 26 who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or exploring their sexual orientation and/or gender identity (LGBT+) and their families. https://www.allsortsyouth.org.uk/
Mermaids UK- Helping gender-diverse children, young people and their families https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/
Anxiety UK- Whether you have anxiety, stress, anxiety-based depression or a phobia that is affecting your daily life, we’re here to help and are here for you. We offer an extensive range of support services designed to help you to control your anxiety rather than letting it control you. Services available for both members and non-members include: Access to a community of other like-minded people, discounted one-to-one therapy services from our network of Anxiety UK Approved Therapists, a wide range of helpful resources to help you understand and overcome your anxiety, access to anxiety support groups, discounted anxiety management courses and Calm Club. https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/
Calm Harm App - Calm Harm is an award-winning app developed for teenage mental health charity stem4 by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Nihara Krause, in collaboration with young people, using principles from the evidence-based Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).
The Calm Harm app provides some immediate activities and techniques to help you break the cycle of self-harm behaviour and explore underlying trigger factors; the app supports you in building a ‘safety net’ of helpful thoughts, behaviours, and access to supportive people, as well as providing the opportunity to journal and self-reflect. The Calm Harm app also signposts to help. The app is private, anonymous, and safe.
The Depression Project- Through our ground-breaking Storm to Sun Framework, you’ll now finally be able to understand your depression; know exactly how to get better; and have an easy way to explain your depression to get the support you need https://thedepressionproject.com/
Winston’s Wish - Support grieving children and young people after the death of someone important. https://www.winstonswish.org/
Papyrus - charity dedicated to the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in adults and young people https://www.papyrus-uk.org/
Childhood Bereavement Network - has a range of resources to help schools to respond to a bereavement and to provide support to bereaved pupils and their families. It also includes signposting to local bereavement services.https://childbereavementnetwork.org.uk
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families - provide support to children and young people dealing with loss and bereavement and signposts to bereavement organisations and local support. https://annafreud.org
