The mental health and well-being of everyone in our school family is very important to us. The emotional impact of the pandemic will be affecting us all.

The school has signed up to the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter. This is a declaration of support for, and set of commitments to, the wellbeing and mental health of everyone working in education.

The following support and arrangements are in place to support children and families:

We offer different levels of support:

Universal Support - To meet the needs of all our pupils through our overall ethos and our wider curriculum.

For instance, sending out the ELSA and Philosophy for Children emails each week. These focus on developing thinking skills, encouraging talking to each other and relaxation and self-regulation skills such as breathing exercises.

Weekly newsletters from MIND Bucks are sent to everyone. These have a different theme each week and provide some great ideas to support well-being. Please see the bottom of this page for these newsletters.

Tips and advice for children and parents are available on this page of the website - please see below.

Activities from class teachers in Google Classroom will also support children with how they can learn at home.

Individual parents and children will receive responses to messages supporting them in the best way we can.

We are engaging with National initiatives such as Children's Mental Health Week.

The key message is that we know and understand that all children and parents are doing a fantastic job and the best they can in very challenging circumstances. Staff are here to help and we will do all we can to support.

Additional support - For those who may have short term needs.

Some children and families have contacted the school to ask for specific support for a short term need. Staff, where ever possible, have responded to these needs and provided the help requested.

If you have a short term need or require some support, please contact your child’s class teacher through Google Classroom so we can plan how to best support you.

Targeted support - For pupils who need more differentiated support and resources or specific targeted interventions.

Mrs Rock is supporting the identified children.

Individual staff are also providing support for these identified children where needed and where possible.

If you or your child need targeted support, please contact your child’s class teacher through Google Classroom or email either school office so we can plan how to best support you. We may do this with staff at school but we may also refer you to outside agencies who may be better placed to provide you with the help you need.

Please reach out to us if you find yourself in this situation. We want to do all we can to help.

Lead staff members:

Mrs C Rock: Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (see below for further information) and

                     Nurture Group Lead

Headteacher: Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Lead and Designated    

                      Safeguarding Lead

Deputy Headteachers: Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads

SENDCo: Special Needs Lead

Mental Health & Wellbeing

At Chalfont St Giles Village School we are committed to supporting the emotional health and well-being of our pupils and staff. We know that everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable and at times, anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s business and that we all have a role to play.

At Chalfont St Giles Village School we believe it is important to:

• Create an ethos and conditions that support positive behaviours for learning and for successful relationships.
• Ensure that the school’s values have a central place in our classrooms and the wider school community.
• Cultivate a sense of belonging irrespective of gender, race or perceived social status.
• Provide an emotionally secure and safe environment that prevents any form of bullying or violence.
• Promote resilience by helping pupils to shift their reliance on support from outside (I have) to their own internal skills (I can), while building their own personal attitudes and feelings (I am).
• Provide specific help for those children most at risk (or already showing signs) of social, emotional and behavioural problems.

To support these aims we:

• help children to understand their emotions and feelings better
• help children feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
• help children socially to form and maintain relationships
• promote self-esteem and ensure children know that they count
• listen to children and make sure their voice is heard
• help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
• develop skills of empathy and to help children feel understood by their peers
• provide a curriculum that integrates the development of social and emotional skills within all subject areas including problem-solving, coping and conflict management/resolution.
• support parents and carers to develop their parenting skills through providing information and sign-posting to programmes run by appropriately trained health or education practitioners.
• ensure that teachers and other staff have the knowledge, understanding and skills to deliver this curriculum effectively, including how to manage different behaviours and how to build successful relationships.

P4C

In school, one of the ‘tools’ we use to underpin the children’s learning is P4C (Philosophy for Children).

Each week we will be sending home a suggested activity that you might like to complete with your child that encourages questioning, reasoning skills and debate.

For more information on P4C please see https://www.sapere.org.uk/