Schools play an important role in promoting and supporting the positive mental health and wellbeing of pupils.  At St. Dunstan’s, we want to support all our children to be happy, healthy and safe. The curriculum extends beyond the academic and provides for pupils’ broader development e.g with a wide range of extra-curricular activities, clubs, trips and visits.

The curriculum and the school’s effective wider work support pupils to be confident, resilient and independent, and to develop strength of character. We provide high-quality pastoral support. Pupils know how to eat healthily, maintain an active lifestyle and keep physically and mentally healthy. They have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships.

There is a strong focus on enabling pupils to recognise the dangers of inappropriate use of mobile technology and social media.

Wellbeing

Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. At St. Dunstan’s School, we are committed to supporting the positive mental health and wellbeing for every member of our school community (children, staff, parents and carers).

Through our curriculum, pupils are taught how to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns, including common types of mental ill health (e.g., anxiety)  in themselves and others. They are also taught where and how to seek support, including who they can speak to in school if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing or ability to control their emotions.

Surrey Healthy Schools Programme

As part of our commitment to promoting healthy living, we follow the Surrey Healthy Schools approach. This approach applies evidenced based practice, promoting positive physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing, and identifies 5 key themes:

1. Whole School Approach towards the Promotion of Positive Health and Wellbeing
2. Personal, Health, Social, Economics, Education (PHSE) Curriculum (including health and wellbeing, relationships, sex, drug, staying safe and financial capability education)
3. Healthy eating (including cooking and healthy eating in the curriculum, food provision - school meals, packed lunches, pre and post school club food, provision and cooking clubs)
4. Physical activity (including physical education and school sport)
5. Emotional wellbeing and mental health
6. Whole School Approach towards the promotion of positive health and wellbeing

Over the course of their education, children spend over 7,800 hours at school.

With such a huge amount of time spent in the classroom, our school provides an ideal environment for promoting good emotional wellbeing and identifying early behaviour changes and signs of emotional distress. The social and emotional skills, knowledge and behaviours that children learn in the classroom can help them to build resilience and set the pattern for how they will manage their mental health throughout their lives.

Emotional wellbeing is a clear indicator of academic achievement, success and satisfaction in later life. Evidence shows that mental health and wellbeing programs in schools, can lead to significant improvements in children’s mental health, and social and emotional skills. Wellbeing provision in schools can also lead to reductions in classroom misbehaviour and bullying.

The Anna Freud Centre has a really useful website and leaflet for parents to help you talk to your children about mental health:

Healthy Eating

As a Healthy Eating School, we aim to promote the benefits of healthy eating through effective leadership, the overall school ethos and curriculum and through all school staff bringing together elements of the school day to create an environment which supports sustainable healthy eating habits as part of a healthy lifestyle. We only permit healthy snacks at breaktime (fruit or vegetable) and discourage the consumption of foods high in sugar and fat because of the detrimental effects that they can have on the child's ability to learn effectively and achieve high standards at school. Children in Lower School (Years R, 1 and 2)  are provided with a free piece of fruit by the Government.

We encourage children to stay hydrated throughout the day and allow children access to fresh drinking water at all times in their classrooms, the lunch hall or outside on the playground. This is especially important during hot weather.

The NHS has a really useful website for families about ways to eat well and move more.