Mental Heath and wellbeing
What is Mental Health and Well- Being?
The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to give them the information that they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing. It should enable them to recognise what is normal and what is an issue in themselves and others and, when issues arise, know how to seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.
Physical health and mental wellbeing are interlinked, and it is important that pupils understand that good physical health contributes to good mental wellbeing, and vice versa.
We actively teach children self-control and the ability to self-regulate teaching them strategies for doing so. This will enable them to become confident in their ability to achieve well and persevere even when they encounter setbacks or when their goals are distant, and to respond calmly and rationally to setbacks and challenges. This integrated, whole-school approach to the teaching and promotion of health and wellbeing has a potential positive impact on behaviour and attainment.
Effective teaching should aim to reduce stigma attached to health issues, in particular those to do with mental wellbeing. We engender an atmosphere that encourages openness. This will mean that pupils feel they can check their understanding and seek any necessary help and advice as they gain knowledge about how to promote good health and wellbeing.
Physical health and mental wellbeing
This starts with pupils being taught about the benefits and importance of daily exercise, good nutrition and sufficient sleep, and giving pupils the language and knowledge to understand the normal range of emotions that everyone experiences. Children have regular PE lessons, a large outdoor space to play in and for KS2 children, they run the daily mile every day.
Pupils are taught the benefits of hobbies, interests and participation in our community. We teach children that spending time with others, taking opportunities to consider the needs of others and practising service to others, including in organised and structured activities and are beneficial for health and wellbeing.
We teach children why social media, computer games and online gaming have age restrictions and how to manage common difficulties encountered online.
We believe the benefits and characteristics of good health and wellbeing will enable all to talk about isolation, loneliness, unhappiness, bullying and the negative impact of poor health and wellbeing.
By the end of Y6:
Mental wellbeing
Pupils should know:
- that mental wellbeing is a normal part of daily life, in the same way as physical health
- that there is a normal range of emotions (e.g. happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, nervousness) and scale of emotions that all humans experience in relation to different experiences and situations
- how to recognise and talk about their emotions, including having a varied vocabulary of words to use when talking about their own and others’ feelings
- how to judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is appropriate and proportionate
- the benefits of physical exercise, time outdoors, community participation, voluntary and service-based activity on mental wellbeing and happiness
- simple self-care techniques, including the importance of rest, time spent with friends and family and the benefits of hobbies and interests
- isolation and loneliness can affect children and that it is very important for children to discuss their feelings with an adult and seek support
- that bullying (including cyberbullying) has a negative and often lasting impact on mental wellbeing
- where and how to seek support (including recognising the triggers for seeking support), including whom in school they should speak to if they are worried about their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing or ability to control their emotions (including issues arising online)
- it is common for people to experience mental ill health. For many people who do, the problems can be resolved if the right support is made available, especially if accessed early enough
Internet safety and harms
Pupils should know:
- that for most people the internet is an integral part of life and has many benefits
- about the benefits of rationing time spent online, the risks of excessive time spent on electronic devices and the impact of positive and negative content online on their own and others’ mental and physical wellbeing
- how to consider the effect of their online actions on others and know how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online and the importance of keeping personal information private
- why social media, some computer games and online gaming, for example, are age restricted
- that the internet can also be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health
- how to be a discerning consumer of information online including understanding that information, including that from search engines, is ranked, selected and targeted
- where and how to report concerns and get support with issues online
Physical health and fitness
Pupils should know:
- the characteristics and mental and physical benefits of an active lifestyle
- the importance of building regular exercise into daily and weekly routines and how to achieve this; for example walking or cycling to school, a daily active mile or other forms of regular, vigorous exercise
- the risks associated with an inactive lifestyle (including obesity)
- how and when to seek support including which adults to speak to in school if they are worried about their health
HEALTHY EATING Pupils should know:
- what constitutes a healthy diet (including understanding calories and other nutritional content)
- the principles of planning and preparing a range of healthy meals
- the characteristics of a poor diet and risks associated with unhealthy eating (including, for example, obesity and tooth decay) and other behaviours (e.g. the impact of alcohol on diet or health)
HEALTH AND PREVENTION
Pupils should know:
- how to recognise early signs of physical illness, such as weight loss, or unexplained changes to the body
- about safe and unsafe exposure to the sun, and how to reduce the risk of sun damage, including skin cancer
- the importance of sufficient good quality sleep for good health and that a lack of sleep can affect weight, mood and ability to learn
- about dental health and the benefits of good oral hygiene and dental flossing, including regular check-ups at the dentist
- about personal hygiene and germs including bacteria, viruses, how they are spread and treated, and the importance of handwashing
the facts and science relating to allergies, immunisation and vaccination
BASIC FIRST AID
Pupils should know:
- how to make a clear and efficient call to emergency services if necessary
- concepts of basic first-aid, for example dealing with common injuries, including head injuries
CHANGING ADOLESCENT BODY
Pupils should know:
- key facts about puberty and the changing adolescent body, particularly from age 9 through to age 11, including physical and emotional changes
- about menstrual wellbeing including the key facts about the menstrual cycle
DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO
Pupils should know:
- the facts about legal and illegal harmful substances and associated risks, including smoking, alcohol use and drug-taking
