Mental and Health and Wellbeing at Minster-in-Sheppey Primary School

Wellbeing is at the heart of our education. As part of our ethos to be happy, positive, successful, life-long learners, we aim to promote a positive mental health and wellbeing environment for our whole school community.

At Minster-in-Sheppey Primary School, we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community, children, staff, parents and carers alike.

We understand the importance of positive mental health and understand that this is just as important as physical health. We recognise that good wellbeing is key to a child’s development; emotionally, physically and educationally.

We take a holistic approach to the needs of individuals as we recognise the implicating factors that have an effect on a child’s ability to learn. We are influenced by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need as we understand that each need creates a base for another, starting with the most basic of needs; without these, the next level of the pyramid cannot be laid

Level 1 – Physiological (basic needs)

The base level of the pyramid refers to the needs required for survival such as food, water, nutrition, shelter, clothing and warmth.

Level 2 – Safety

Security, predictability, protection, structure, order, boundaries, limits, rules, stability.

Level 3 – Love and Belonging

Love, belonging, affection, friendship, reciprocal relationships, tenderness, understanding, empathy, connections.

Level 4 – Esteem

Independence, achievement, success, value, self-worth, positivity, competence.

Level 5 – Self-actualisation

Growth, morality, exploration, risk-taking, understanding.

What do we mean by mental health?

Mental Health is “the emotional and spiritual resilience which enables us to enjoy life and survive pain, suffering and disappointment. It is a positive sense of wellbeing and an underlying belief in our and others dignity and worth. It is influenced by our experience and our genetic inheritance.” (World Health Organisation)

Mental health affects all aspects of life and behaviour. Like physical health, mental health is something we all have. It can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.

Talking Mental Health is an animation designed to help begin conversations about mental health in the classroom and beyond. The animation and accompanying resources have been created by a team of animators, children, teachers and clinicians, and is being taught to year 5 and 6 children around the UK.

What does positive mental health look like?

What mental health is and isn’t