Creating happy, healthy humans

What is Mental Health?

“We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. It’s about how we think, feel and act. Sometimes we feel well, and sometimes we don’t. When our mental health is good, we feel motivated and able to take on challenges and new experiences. But when our mental health is not so good, we can find it much harder to cope.”

- YoungMinds website

As a school we offer a range of programmes, activities and strategies to support our pupil’s wellbeing and mental health as they progress through the primary school. Our child-centred JIGSAW PSHE curriculum is designed to support both pupils’ physical wellbeing (covering topics such as healthy eating, hygiene, safe behaviours, dangers of drugs alcohol and smoking/vaping) alongside promoting good mental health (developing resilience, emotional literacy, social skills, mindfulness, spiritual development). Our sports/PE curriculum aims to further support children’s physical fitness and wellbeing through regular exercise and a range of sports lessons delivered on a regular basis in school.

We also use a range of other approaches and methods to support children’s wellbeing, mental health and behaviour on a day-to-day basis. Some of these are detailed below.

In addition, we work with a wide range of external professionals to offer tailored expert support to individuals and families when needed in school and at home.

At Heyford Park School we know our children and their families really well; we aim to offer a ‘joined up’ approach to give children the best support we can both in school and at home.

Click on the links below each of the following descriptions to discover more, find ways to help at home and access additional sources of professional information and help.

Zones of Regulation

We have been using Zones of Regulation for several years across the primary school. The Zones of Regulation is an internationally renowned intervention which helps children to manage difficult emotions, known as ‘self-regulation’.  All primary classrooms have Zones of Regulation charts which the children use throughout the day. Zones of Regulation are also used (in a different, age-appropriate format) in some years in the Secondary School.

From time to time, all of us (including adults) find it hard to manage strong feelings such as worry, anger, restlessness, fear or tiredness, and this stops us from getting on with our day effectively. Children who feel these emotions often find it hard to learn and concentrate in school. The Zones of Regulation aims to teach children strategies to help them to identify their emotions and cope with these feelings so they can get back to feeling calm and ready to learn. These coping strategies are called ‘self- regulation’.

Click here to visit our Zones of Regulation pages and to access some useful resources for use at home.
 

Stormbreak

The Stormbreak organisation works with trusted adults in education, health and social care to support primary aged children's mental health and emotional wellbeing through movement. Stormbreak improves children’s mental health through movement, equipping pupils with sustainable, transferable skills and coping strategies to thrive during the complex demands of growth into adult life. According to its founder, ‘When the storm rages, we teach children to find shelter, create light, calm and change through movement’. Stormbreak focuses on five key aspects: Resilience; Self-Care; Relationships; Self-Worth and Hope & Optimism.

Stormbreak has been shown to:

• Build children’s resilience, overcome adversity, learn to face stress and pressure.

• Develop effective self-care, depression, anxiety and anger management skills.

• Foster optimism, focus, persistence and perseverance.

• Improve pupil confidence, self-esteem, self-image and self-worth.

As a school we started to use Stormbreak in some of our classes during the 23/24 academic year. From September 2024 Stormbreak will be rolled out across the whole primary phase.

Click here to visit the Stormbreak website and discover more about this programme.
Click here to access a selection of the Stormbreak videos to use at home.

Relational Approach to Education

As a school we are proud to have been selected to take part in the prestigious Oxfordshire Relational Schools Programme as part of the Right Support Right Time in Inclusive Settings workstream of the SEN Transformation Programme. 

This programme uses an established model, developed by Gloucestershire County Council, to embed trauma-informed, relational and restorative ways of working in our school, and more widely across the school-system.

Beginning in October 2023 and running for 15 months, staff across the school’s Primary Phase will be receiving ongoing training in the fields of Psychology, Trauma, Education, Restorative Practice, and Inclusion. This is designed to promote a relational and restorative way of working that is attachment and ACEs aware, trauma-informed and shame sensitive.

Further details of the Oxfordshire Relational Schools Programme can be accessed by clicking here.

More information about the relational approach to education can be found in this document produced by the Attachment Research Community.

 

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) Oxfordshire

As a school we work closely with Oxfordshire CAMHS and have close links with professionals working within the CAMHS service including clinical psychologists, art therapists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, the nursing team, social workers, occupational therapists. To access CAMHS support, referrals are usually made by your family GP following a usual GP appointment. In certain circumstances, school can also make referrals via our SENCO/Inclusion Team.

The CAMHS website (link here Oxford Health CAMHS | Child and Adolescent Mental Health ServiceOxford Health CAMHS) has a range of really useful resources, including self-help guides for parents/carers, sources of advice and support.

Self-help information is available on a range of topics including sleep; autism; ADHD; disordered eating; trauma; anxiety; depression and low mood. This can be found on these parts of the CAMHS website: Resources for parents and carers | Oxford Health CAMHSOxford Health CAMHS and Good advice about mental health | Oxford Health CAMHSOxford Health CAMHS

The YoungMinds website has some excellent advice on getting a CAMHS referral, what happens at a CAMHS assessment, how to get the most out of a CAMHS appointment and ways to prepare for an appointment at CAMHS: Guide to CAMHS | Mental Health Services | YoungMinds

If you would like to talk to CAMHS directly then please ring 01865 902515 for the Oxfordshire service during normal working hours or email Email: OxonCAMHSSPA@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

 

If you believe the life of a child or young person is at immediate risk, please dial 999 straight away or go to the nearest Accident & Emergency department. If it is not life threatening, but you feel they need immediate help you could contact 111 for the 24/7 Mental Health Helpline in Oxfordshire.

 

Reading Well for Children

Reading Well for children provides quality-assured information, stories and advice to support children’s mental health and wellbeing. Books have been chosen and recommended by leading health professionals and co-produced with children and families. The booklist is targeted at children in Key Stage 2 (aged 7-11), but includes titles aimed at a wide range of reading levels to support less confident readers, and to encourage children to read together with their siblings and carers.

Access the Reading Well for Children website by clicking here.

Many of the books are available to borrow from the local library. Selected titles are also available to borrow as e-books and audiobooks. The Bicester Library website (Bicester Library | Oxfordshire County Council) gives more details on how to join the library and access books electronically.
 

Local Links to Support and Help

Within Oxfordshire there are arrange of organisations that can offer children, families and young adults a range of help. This includes advice and support agencies, mentoring groups and organisations offering parenting support. Information and advice about services, activities and events for children and parents offered through the local council can be found here: Information for parents | Oxfordshire County Council

Children and family centres offer a range of services to children under five and their families. Further details of local centres are listed here: Children and family centres | Oxfordshire County Council

There are a range of organisations and groups targeted at supporting parents and carers of disabled children and young people and those with SEN and additional needs. Further details can be found using the search tool here: Support for parents and carers for children with SEND | Oxfordshire County Council

SENDIASS Oxfordshire provides impartial information, advice and support to parents and carers of children with SEND, and children and young people themselves through the CHYPSS (Children and Young People’s Partnership Service). It promotes partnership between parent and carers, Children, Education and Families Services, schools and other agencies. The aim of the service is to empower, enable and encourage parents to take an informed and active part in their child’s education, and young people to be involved in decisions about their own education and futures. SENDIASS can be contacted by their helpline available weekdays from 9:30am - 2:30pm;  01865 810516; Text: 07786 524 294;  email: info@sendiass-oxfordshire.org.uk.

More information about SENDIASS can be found on their website: SENDIASS Oxfordshire | Information, advice & support in Oxfordshire (sendiass-oxfordshire.org.uk)