Emotional health and wellbeing

Emotional health and well being is one of four aspects of work that schools will need to develop when working towards national healthy school status.

The national criteria states:

"A healthy school ensures that when pupils are unhappy, anxious, disturbed or depressed there are open channels for them to seek or be offered support, without stigma and with appropriate confidentiality.  A healthy school actively seeks to promote emotional health and well being and helps pupils to understand their feelings".

The development of emotional health and well being in a school is engendered and supported by:

• the taught curriculum (curriculum opportunities)
• and also by
  the ethos and organisation of the school. (This will include the quality of relationships within the school and between the school, parents and community, and the role models provided by staff and other pupils).
  Curriculum opportunities are provided in Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) and through other curriculum subjects.

The Primary National Strategy "Excellence and Enjoyment" has produced (Summer 2005) teaching materials to support the development of social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) and these will shortly be available for all schools.

A healthy school would be expected to have:

• Clear curriculum opportunities for pupils to explore feelings and to empathise with others, and use appropriate teaching and learning styles
• A clear confidentiality policy, that states which agencies are bound by the policy
• A clear and implemented policy on anti-bullying, which is understood by all pupils
• A pastoral system in place that all pupils are aware of and can access, and from which they can gain advice and support. 
• Feedback from pupils is needed to ensure that this happens.
• Explicit values, which are reflected in practice
• Strategies for identifying and appropriately supporting vulnerable individuals and groups.
• Clear pathways for helping pupils and their families access support from health services within the school or local community.
• A range of opportunities for all pupils to be able ot actively participate in the life of the school
• Opportunities to support the emotional health and well being of staff

The Healthy Schools Team will shortly be recruiting a full-time emotional health coordinator to support schools in delivering this work and the post will also be responsible for establishing an emotional health network.

16 schools are currently piloting the well-being project, which focuses on staff health and well being and addresses the Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards on Work Related Stress.

For further information please contact the healthy schools team on 01902 551497.