Positive Wellbeing And Mental Health
Positive Wellbeing And Mental Health At Cawthorne
In our school, our Christian vision shapes all we do. We will be with every member of our school community every step of the way to promote and nurture life in all its fullness so that everyone reaches their full potential.
Our vision is underpinned by the belief that education should support human flourishing, or ‘fullness of life’. This should equip our children, staff and families in their understanding of who they are, why they are here, what they desire and how they should live. The vision also puts emphasis on a rounded education which should equip young people with strong foundations that will carry them through into adulthood.
In our daily lives, we aim to promote positive wellbeing and mental health for every member of our staff and children. It is a golden thread running throughout our daily lives and practice to ensure that everyone is a happy, productive member who makes positive contributions to our Cawthorne community. We want everyone involved with our school to:
- Play a full part in life
- Make the most of their potential
- Cope well with changes
What do we mean by wellbeing?
Wellbeing and mental health are not the same thing, neither is there one definition of wellbeing. The Children’s Society comment:
‘Although definitions vary – and some feel that it is hard to define – there is broad agreement that well- being refers to the quality of people’s lives. It is about how well we are, and how our lives are going. In our view, well-being may be best thought of as an umbrella term that can be measured via indicators that together build up a picture of the quality of people’s lives.'
For children, these indicators are:
- Family
- Friends
- Health
- Appearance
- Time use
- The future
- Home
- Money and possessions
- School
- Amount of choice
What do we mean by mental health?
While the concepts of wellbeing and mental health interrelated, any separation is, in many ways, an artificial construct. For this reason, when identifying and planning support for pupils in need, it is helpful to consider all factors that may be impacting on them. We all have mental health; how good this is depends on many factors and it may be helpful to consider our own mental health as being on a continuum, recognising that it is not static. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as:
‘A state of wellbeing in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.’
The WHO also says that ‘mental health is an integral and essential component of health’ and with wellbeing ‘ is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world’ and in turn a core ingredient of effective schooling.
Practical information for parents:
