At Thornton Primary School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing 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 work collaboratively to promote positive mental health across the school.

At Thornton we:

- help children to understand their emotions and feelings

- promote an environment in which children feel safe to share their concerns or worries

- support children to form and maintain positive relationships

- promote self esteem

- help children develop resilience and equip them with coping strategies when they experience setbacks

We offer different levels of support:

Universal support- This aims to meet the needs of all pupils through our school ethos, wider curriculum and commitment to the Route to Resilience programme.

Additional support- this can be provided to support children who have short term needs, such as children who have been made vulnerable through life experiences such as bereavement.

Targeted support- For those children who need more differentiated support, and targeted interventions such as ELSA sessions, well-being groups. 

Lead staff members:

Rebecca Squires- Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead and accredited Youth Mental Health First Aider. 

Leah Jones- ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant)

Well-being Ambassadors

At Thornton, we have our very own team of well-being ambassadors. Their role includes:

1. Helping to make our school a safe and happy place.

2. Welcoming new children and staff into the school.

3. To be kind and caring to others

4. Offering advice and support to children who have completed a 'worry slip'.

5. Supporting Miss Squires in delivering a monthly well-being assembly with a theme.

6. To promote the 'Five Ways to Well-being'.

November's theme is: The Jar of Happiness. The well-being ambassadors read a story to the children in assembly, and shared the happiness jars they had prepared at home. They then collected ideas from the children about what makes them happy. The children left with their own jar of happiness to complete during the week.

Mental Health Week 2022

As part of Children's Mental Health week, children and staff at Thornton Primary School raised awareness by taking part in a 'Dress to Express' day. We encouraged children to come into school wearing an outfit that expressed how they feel. On the day the children enjoyed taking part in activities and discussions around mental health and the importance of sharing any worries they have. As the theme this year was 'growing together', children in each class started to grow and water a plant which is now a visual reminder of looking after their own mental well-being!

As a school we raised money for a children's mental health charity called 'Place2be' who support pupils, families and staff in schools around the UK.