The mental health and emotional well-being of our children, parents and staff is extremely important. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.

At Tidemill, we believe in equipping our pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary to build the foundations of obtaining positive mental health to ensure they benefit fully from all the opportunities available to them. As part of our Personal, Social, Emotional & Economic (PSHE) curriculum, children learn about key themes to support their understanding about wellbeing and mental health through topics such as: ‘My Mental Health and Me’, ‘My feelings and Me’, ‘Pressures I may Face’, ‘How am I feeling?’, ‘Healthy Me’, ‘Managing Myself and My Behaviour’, and ‘Looking after Me’.

We have a range of embedded practices, resources and services available to pupils to promote positive mental health including: mindfulness activities, a buddy system for older pupils to support younger ones, pupil advocates used as playground leaders to support lonely or vulnerable pupils, referrals for specialist children’s services, transition support, lunchtime and after school clubs, and a named school lead for mental health promotion, amongst other provision.

At Tidemill, we help children to understand their emotions and ensure they feel comfortable sharing their concerns or worries. We support their social needs, promote self-esteem and develop their confidence and emotional resilience. Using the ‘Zones of Regulation’ framework, we are able to teach students how to self-regulate and manage their complex feelings and experiences, by providing them with strategies to communicate their emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment.