Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
World Health Organisation, 2018
Positive mental health is a top priority at Hayesfield. There are a number of ways in which students can be suffering from poor mental health. It is not always easy to determine if somebody is struggling with mental health issues, so we need to work collaboratively to ensure that children always feel comfortable in speaking about their mental health. As a school we have a strong focus on giving students the tools to focus on their wellbeing as shown in the below clip.
At Hayesfield Girls’ School and mixed sixth form we aim to promote good mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community, students and staff.
We aim to develop protective factors by being a community in which all:
- are respected
- have a sense of belonging and feel safe
- are able to talk openly with trusted adults
- see good mental health as something to be valued and nurtured
We want all members of our community to:
- feel confident in themselves
- be able to express a range of emotions appropriately
- be able to make and maintain positive relationships with others
- cope with the challenges of everyday life
- manage times of stress and deal with change
- thrive and achieve
We aim to achieve this through living out our school vision:
‘Hayesfield provides an inspirational environment in which girls flourish. Here, all girls experience a strong sense of belonging, enjoy freedom from stereotyping and grow limitless aspirations. The wealth of opportunities available, both in and out of the classroom, ensure that all Hayesfield girls develop the self-confidence, resilience and moral courage needed when achieving ambitions.
Other ways in which we aim to achieve this is through:
- our PHSE curriculum
- awareness raising (wellbeing assemblies, tips for good mental health)
- listening to our students
- gaining insights via student voice
- working in partnership with parents/carers where there are concerns about mental health
- signposting sources of external help and advice
- making referrals and working with external agencies to provide additional support to those who need it
- recognising the importance of staff mental health and wellbeing
- modelling healthy attitudes and habits
Our staff wellbeing committee looks at ways in which we can support the wellbeing of our school staff while our student wellbeing committee looks at ways in which we can support the wellbeing of our students.
Mrs Sayles
Wellbeing and Positive Mental Health Lead
