Weston Village Primary SchoolMental Health and Emotional Wellbeing
Supporting children to feel safe, happy and ready to learn
At Weston Village Primary School, children's mental health and emotional wellbeing are an important part of our whole-school approach to inclusion, safeguarding and personal development.
Children experience a wide range of emotions as they grow. At different times, they may need help with worries, friendships, family circumstances, confidence, change, loss, regulation or attending school. For some children, difficulties may be more persistent and require additional or specialist support.
Our aim is to create a school in which children:
feel safe, known and valued
develop the language to understand and talk about their emotions
learn practical strategies for looking after their wellbeing
know who they can speak to when something is worrying them
experience positive relationships and a strong sense of belonging
receive additional support early when they need it.
We work closely with parents and carers because understanding the whole child is essential. Please talk to us if you are worried about your child. You do not need to wait until a difficulty has become serious.
Our Pastoral and Mental Health Team
Mental Health and Pastoral Lead / SENDCo – Mrs Emma Loveland
Mrs Loveland oversees our approach to mental health and emotional wellbeing and works with children, families, staff and outside professionals where additional support is needed.
Family Support Worker and ELSA – Mrs Helen Woby
Mrs Woby provides family support and is trained as an Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA), providing planned support for children where an emotional or social need has been identified.
Family Liaison Officer – Mrs Helen Potts
Mrs Potts works alongside children and families and helps strengthen communication and access to support.
Mental health and wellbeing are not the responsibility of one team alone. Class teachers, teaching assistants, senior leaders and other trusted adults all have an important part to play in noticing changes, listening to children and helping them access the right support.
Our Whole-School Approach
myHappymind
myHappymind is at the heart of our universal approach to positive mental health and wellbeing.
It is taught throughout school and helps children understand how their brains work and develop practical habits and strategies that support resilience, confidence, relationships and emotional wellbeing.
The programme is organised around five areas:
Meet Your Brain – understanding the brain, emotions and how we can help ourselves to regulate
Celebrate – recognising character strengths and developing self-esteem
Appreciate – developing gratitude and positive habits
Relate – understanding friendships and positive relationships
Engage – setting goals, developing resilience and responding positively to challenge.
myHappymind is designed as a preventative, whole-school programme rather than something provided only when a child is experiencing difficulty. The programme runs from Early Years through to Year 6 and also includes resources for families.
Find out more about myHappymind
Wellbeing throughout school life
Children's wellbeing is supported through much more than individual interventions. It is woven through everyday school life, including:
warm, predictable relationships with adults
PSHE and relationships education
assemblies and opportunities to talk about feelings and wellbeing
active listening and pupil voice
our buddy and pupil leadership opportunities
Forest School and outdoor learning
physical activity, sport and OPAL play
clubs, visits and wider enrichment
calm spaces and flexible support when children need them
careful support at transition points.
We want children to know that it is always OK to ask for help and that there are adults in school who will listen.
Five Ways to Wellbeing
We also continue to promote the simple Five Ways to Wellbeing, which are useful for children and adults:
Connect – Be Active – Take Notice – Keep Learning – Give
These are everyday things that can help protect and improve mental wellbeing.
NHS: Five steps to mental wellbeing
When a Child Needs Some Extra Help
Not every child needs the same support. We aim to understand what is happening for the individual child and what is getting in the way, rather than assuming that one intervention will work for everyone.
Depending on need, support in school may include:
regular check-ins with a trusted adult
ELSA or other planned emotional-literacy work
support with friendships, confidence or emotional regulation
family support
adaptations to the school day or environment
support around transitions
work with parents and carers
attendance and reintegration support, including an EBSNA-informed approach where anxiety is affecting school attendance
SEND support where a child's social, emotional or mental-health needs form part of a wider special educational need
advice or involvement from external professionals.
Our wider school strategy reflects this graduated approach: relational pastoral support, trusted-adult check-ins, ELSA/mentoring, regulation support, family work and individual attendance or reintegration planning are used where an identified need makes them appropriate.
Support is reviewed so that we can consider whether it is helping and what should happen next.
Working with Children and Families
Children should be active participants in decisions that affect them.
We use conversations, pupil voice and our knowledge of each child to understand their strengths, interests, experiences and concerns. We encourage children to identify adults they trust and to speak to us when something does not feel right.
Parents and carers often hold an important part of the picture. Please let us know about significant changes or concerns at home, even if you are unsure whether they are affecting school.
Our approach reflects The Cornovii Trust's commitment to children being known well, listened to and supported within emotionally safe environments while maintaining high expectations.
Support in Cheshire East
Healthy Young Minds
Healthy Young Minds is Cheshire East's current early-help and prevention service for children's and young people's emotional wellbeing and mental health.
It aims to provide help earlier, build resilience and prevent difficulties escalating. It also supports schools and parents and carers.
For Central and South Cheshire East, including our area, the service is delivered by Visyon. Visyon provides support for schools as part of the Healthy Young Minds programme, including work with primary schools.
Cheshire East Healthy Young Minds
Visyon – support for children, young people and families
Parents and carers can also contact Visyon for information, advice and signposting on 01260 290000.
Cheshire East Family Hubs
Family Hubs bring together support for children, young people and their families from birth to age 19, or up to 25 for young people with SEND.
The Cheshire East Family Hub website includes a specific Primary Journey for children aged 5–11, covering health, mental health, family support, SEND, relationships and other areas where families may need advice.
There are several Family Hubs serving Crewe and the surrounding area, including Crewe Lifestyle Centre, Monks Coppenhall and Oak Tree Family Hub.
Free online support for Cheshire East families – Togetherness
Cheshire East families also have free access to Togetherness, the online learning programme previously known as the Solihull Approach.
It includes evidence-informed courses about childhood development, emotions, relationships, neurodiversity and the teenage brain. Cheshire East residents receive lifetime access to the available pathways.
Cheshire East Togetherness information
School Nursing
Cheshire East's NHS School Nursing Service can provide advice and support around children's health and wellbeing and can work with families, schools and other professionals where additional help is needed.
Specialist Mental Health Support – CYPMHS
The NHS service previously widely referred to as CAMHS is now known in Cheshire as Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS).
CYPMHS provides specialist support for children and young people experiencing mental-health difficulties such as significant anxiety, depression, eating difficulties, self-harm or difficulties following trauma.
In Cheshire, referrals are received and triaged through the Children and Young People's Mental Health Hub, which considers the child's needs and identifies the most appropriate next step. Parents/carers and professionals can make a request for help with the appropriate consent.
School can help families consider whether this may be an appropriate route and can contribute information where a referral is made.
Cheshire Children and Young People's Mental Health Services (CYPMHS)
Request help from Cheshire CYPMHS
Cheshire also has Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) working with education settings. They provide evidence-based support for mild-to-moderate mental-health difficulties, advice to schools and support with whole-school approaches to wellbeing.
If You Need Urgent Help
If a child or young person is in immediate danger or there is a life-threatening emergency, call 999 or attend A&E.
For urgent mental-health support, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option. This is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including for children and young people.
Where concerns about a child's mental health indicate that they may be at risk of harm, school will also follow its safeguarding procedures and seek appropriate help.
Useful Support for Children and Parents
YoungMinds
Information and practical advice for children, young people and parents about mental health. Their Parents Helpline is 0808 802 5544.
YoungMinds
Childline
Free, confidential support for children and young people. Call 0800 1111 or access online support.
Childline
NHS – Children's and young people's mental health
Advice for parents about children's mental health and how to find appropriate support.
NHS mental health support for children and young people
Anti-Bullying Alliance
Information and advice about preventing and responding to bullying.
Anti-Bullying Alliance
PAPYRUS HOPELINE247
Support for children and young people experiencing thoughts of suicide, or for anyone concerned about them. Telephone 0800 068 4141 or text 88247. Cheshire East includes PAPYRUS within its current suicide-prevention support information.
PAPYRUS HOPELINE247
We Are Here to Help
School is a good first place to start if you are worried about your child.
You can speak to your child's class teacher, Mrs Loveland, Mrs Woby, Mrs Potts or another member of staff you trust. We may be able to help directly, work with you to put additional support in place or help you find the right service.
Weston Village Primary School
Telephone: 01270 814848
Email: admin@weston.cheshire.sch.uk
We would always rather you contacted us early than felt that you had to manage a concern alone.