Wellbeing
At GMJS, we place pupil wellbeing at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an environment where all children can achieve, belong and thrive. We promote emotional, social and mental wellbeing through a nurturing school culture, high-quality pastoral support and a carefully planned curriculum that includes PSHE, safeguarding education and emotional literacy. Our staff know our pupils well and work closely with families to ensure that each child feels safe, supported and valued. We are particularly mindful of pupils with additional needs or vulnerabilities and we take proactive steps to ensure that all children feel included, respected and ready to learn.
Examples of our provision includes but is not limited to: the use the Zones of Regulation and daily check-ins to help pupils recognise, understand and manage their emotions and behaviour, so they feel safe, supported and ready to learn. We complement this with a 'Time to Talk' box where pupils can contact our Pastoral Manager, Mrs Murphy and every class also has a 'Question Box' for pupils to post their worries, ideas or feedback — ensuring their voice is heard and acted upon. A member of our SLT is also the designated Wellbeing Lead and has taken part in the Place2Be’s Senior Mental Health Leads training programme.
Our Pastoral Manager collaborates closely with a wide range of external support services, including the Stockport Mental Health Support Team. They bring specialist expertise, support and guidance in early mental health intervention, focusing specifically on mental health issues such as worry, anxiety and low mood. Access to their support is available through a referral process based on specific criteria.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing
Research shows that no matter where a child or young person lives, their age, social or personal situation, there are ways to improve personal wellbeing.
Improving wellbeing has a direct link not only to feeling better but also functioning better. It helps with physical health and also things like performance at school and quality of life.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are simple things to do every day that can help us all to feel happier and more positive. These five ways are:
- Connect
- Be active
- Take notice
- Keep learning
- Give
Connect: Spend time with family and friends. Enjoy doing things together and talking to each other.
Be active: It keeps you physically healthy, and makes you feel good
Keep learning: Try something new. Try a new hobby, or learn about something just because it interests you.
Take notice: Take a break to see how you feel. Relax and look around you or listen to music, take a few deep breaths.
Give: Do something for a friend or relation/adult, as well as making them feel good, it can make you feel good too!
The following document contains a range of activites that adults and pupils could try at home, independently or as a family. There is also an empty chart to use where you could select your own acitivities for the week.
