Wellbeing
Welcome to Wainscott’s newly installed Wellbeing page. Wainscott are on an exciting journey to embed wellbeing through our whole school community.
Wellbeing Lead: Beckie Worsfold
At Wainscott as part of our commitment to mental health and wellbeing, Wainscott has a member of the team dedicated to promoting this throughout the school. Mrs Worsfold is our Wellbeing Lead and is a key part of building our link between home and school.
If you have concerns about your child's emotional wellbeing, in the first instance, you should speak with your child's class teacher, as they know your child best. However, there may be times when you need to speak to someone else and Mrs Worsfold is available to speak with parents and carers, as well as children, about their worries.
Definition of Wellbeing:
Mental wellbeing describes your mental state - how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day-to-day life. Our mental wellbeing is dynamic. It can change from moment to moment, day to day, month to month or year to year (Mind, 2019).
At Wainscott Primary School, we are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all our children. We know that children have the right to be provided with a creative, innovative and exciting education that will inspire them to become enthusiastic lifelong learners who are proud of everything they do. We want every child to excel within an inclusive environment. We keep children at the focus of everything we do and uphold the right to an education for all. There will always be children and young people in schools facing life challenges that detract from their ability to engage with their learning. We recognise the need to support children through these difficult times.
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Wainscott’s Summary of Support for Social, Emotional & Mental Health (SEMH)
1. Universal Provision (Quality First Teaching – for all pupils)
A whole school approach promotes emotional wellbeing, positive behaviour and inclusion. Key features include:
Clear behaviour systems: Whole school policy, classroom rules, restorative justice, visual cues, ABC behaviour logs.
Emotionally informed practice: Trauma informed staff, Mental Health First Aider, wellbeing check ins, circle time, mindfulness, Inside Out/Blob feelings tools.
Structured routines & support: Visual timetables, buddies, reward systems, flexible environments (soft starts, calm spaces).
Values & relationships: School values modelled consistently, pupil voice opportunities, responsibilities/monitors.
Inclusive and nurturing environment: Equal opportunities reflected in displays, looseparts play, friendship bench, access to sensory areas (bubble tube, calm bags).
Curriculum resources: Jigsaw PSHE, Forest School/Wildlife Area, healthy futures initiative, assemblies, worry boxes.
2. Targeted Interventions (for identified groups or individuals needing additional support)
Short term, structured interventions delivered inside and outside the classroom:
Emotional regulation & self-esteem: Nurture Group, ELSA/MELSA, resilience groups, self-esteem programmes, Hamish & Milo, Taming My Temper, Understanding Me.
Friendship & social skills: Circle of Friends, friendship interventions, Lego Therapy.
Behaviour regulation: 3point/5point scales, sensory circuits, emotional regulation groups.
Specialist guidance: Mental Health Lead supporting staff, Marlborough Outreach, PINS project, Eco Forest School groups.
3. Individualised Support (with external agencies)
For pupils with significant, persistent or complex SEMH needs:
Clinical and therapeutic support: Educational Psychologist, Play Therapist, Emotional Wellbeing Practitioner, Family Therapy, Therapeutic Alliance (MIND).
Mental health services: CAMHS, Kooth, Alumina (self harm), bereavement services (CHUMS/Winston’s Wish/Holding On Letting Go).
Behaviour and attendance support: EBSA plans, home visits, Triple R (Rivermead), Fortis Outreach.
Parent and family support: Parenting programmes, school nursing team, Better Medway, tea & coffee mornings.
Specialist interventions: Video Interaction Guidance (VIG), ELSA for individuals.
Mental Health support across Medway will now be delivered by North Kent Mind under the Medway Therapeutic Alliance, working in partnership with a number of local providers which can be found on www.medway.gov.uk/childmentalhealth.
This forms part of a new framework designed to streamline support, bringing multiple offers together into one referral pathway. As a result, the support received may look a little different. These changes reflect what children and young people, families, and professionals told professionals through feedback gathered over two years of consultation. The aim is to ensure that services are easier to access, more consistent, and better aligned to the needs of our school community.
Here are some further external websites to support your child and family.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Place2Be - Improving Children's Mental Health
Improving children’s mental health in schools – Place2Be
Young Minds
YoungMinds - children and young people's mental health charity
NELFT/CAMHS – Mental health concerns
Medway Young Persons Well-being Service is available 24hrs a day, 7 days a week if you are concerned about yourself or another’s mental health and well-being. Please call 03000 300 1981.
NHS 111 Option 2 and Mental Health Direct Crisis Lines
If you are experiencing something that makes you feel unsafe, distressed, or worried about your mental health, you can now contact your local crisis service calling:
111 Option 2 for Mental Health, or Mental Health Direct on 0800 995 1000
MindEd for Families – really helpful website with information on all kinds of mental health problems and queries for parents and families.
Family Lives – lots of useful information on parenting etc.
The Contented Child – useful resource – holding webinars and training for parents to manage emotional regulation in children and resources on ASD
Autism Apprentice – information and support specifically about Autism.
Kent Autistic Trust – helpful website with information about Autism
Space 2 be me – support for parents and families
CXK get connected programme – training and support for young people and their families.
Involve Kent Connect programme – sessions for young people with Autism to meet others with Autism and build confidence.
For young people themselves:
The Mix – good information website for YP themselves under age of 25 for all kinds of worries and anxieties.
Kooth – Wainscott Primary School encourages students to access Kooth – a free online service offering emotional and mental health support for children and young people. Kooth offers counselling, activities and forums for students to express themselves on a platform that is safeguarded by a team of professionals. Regular parents and caregivers webinars are available for further information.
Useful Books
- ‘Help! I’ve Got An Alarm Bell Going Off In My Head!’ by K.L. Aspden
- ‘The Whole-Brain Child’ by Dr Daniel J. Siegel and Dr Tina Payne Bryson
- ‘The Strength Switch’ by Dr Lea Waters
- ‘What To Do When You Worry Too Much’ by Dawn Huebner
- ‘What To Do When Your Temper Flares’ by Dawn Huebner
- ‘The Survival Guide For Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorders’ by Elizabeth Verdick and Elizabeth Reeve M.D.
- ‘Aspergirls’ by Rudy Simone
- "The Invisible String" Patrice Karst
Trauma Informed School
Wainscott Primary is committed to ensuring that we are developing a Trauma and Mental Health Informed approach which will protect our school community members – staff, children and parents.
Members of our staffing team have received training from KCA Trauma Informed Schools which is an organisation working with Medway that are committed to improving the health and wellbeing and ability to learn of the most vulnerable schoolchildren in the UK, namely those who have suffered trauma, abuse, neglect and/or have mental health problems or attachment issues. It aims to provide appropriate training for schools, communities and organisations so that they become trauma informed and mentally healthy places for all.
What is trauma?
We have embraced a wider definition of trauma to encompass any event that is experienced as frightening, painful or out of control, characterised by there being no one available to support or mitigate the impact of traumatic toxic stress. Day-to-day exposure to events such as divorce, loss of a loved one, illness within the family, preparing for an exam or moving to a new house can be experienced as traumatic.
Both children and adults can be affected by toxic stress.
How are children identified and assessed?
We have specially trained Trauma and Mental Health Informed Practitioners in the school Mrs Worsfold and Mrs Mackenzie. These trusted, emotionally available adults support children who are identified as requiring additional support. This support may be offered in a 1:1 session, in class, small groups and can even be referred to a more professional and personalised support. Children are highlighted through a significant changes in their behaviour in schools or through a parental/teacher concern when behaviour changes at home or in response to a significant life event that impacts the whole family.