Health and Wellbeing
Wellbeing at East Sheen Primary School
At East Sheen Primary School, our vision begins with "Our purpose is to nurture happy, confident children..." This is central to everything we do because we know that children thrive in an environment where they feel safe, happy, and motivated to learn.
Wellbeing has always been a cornerstone of our approach. From our Sing Up! Gold Award to our positive, relationship-based behaviour strategy and outreach from The Phoenix Room specialist team, we prioritise the wellbeing of both pupils and staff. In 2018, the school was proudly awarded the Wellbeing Award for Schools, acknowledging our commitment to embedding effective practices that support everyone’s wellbeing. In 2022/23, we received the Bronze Award for being an Attachment Aware School, further reinforcing our focus on emotional support.
Our school is a place where happy pupils are supported by highly trained, motivated staff to succeed and grow as confident individuals. We understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle, which enables pupils, staff, and families to perform at their best and build on their achievements. We believe that children succeed when they feel safe to take risks, ask for help, and succeed without undue pressure.
We actively promote both physical and emotional health, equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their wellbeing. We recognise that everyone faces challenges at some point, which can make us vulnerable. Our ethos, curriculum, and interventions help children:
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Understand their emotions and feelings better
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Feel comfortable sharing concerns or worries
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Build and maintain relationships
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Promote self-esteem and ensure they know they matter
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Be confident and “dare to be different”
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Develop emotional resilience
At the heart of our teaching is the importance of good relationships, and we create a supportive environment where children are encouraged to talk about their emotions. We use Zones of Regulation and Habits of Mind as a common language across the school to help children reflect on their feelings and understand the importance of resilience.
Our children learn four key values from our school vision: Happy, Curious, Resilient, and Kind. We teach that mistakes are part of the learning process, encouraging children to view them as opportunities for growth. Children regularly work both independently and in collaboration with peers, using the Zones of Regulation to discuss and better understand their emotions.
Physical health is equally important, and we encourage children to stay fit through the curriculum, physical brain breaks, and activities like our Phoenix Mile, which runs around the perimeter of the school.
We are fortunate to have strong links with Richmond’s Mental Health Support Team (MHST), who work onsite weekly, providing support to children, parents, and staff. In the 2023-24 school year, they have worked closely with families, ran in-person and online workshops for parents, and offered invaluable support during staff INSET sessions. These workshops have equipped staff with strategies to support students dealing with mental health challenges, in alignment with our Attachment Aware approach.
Mental Health Awareness Week
In May 2024, we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week by focusing on the importance of mental health through movement. Throughout the week, students engaged in daily activities such as ‘check-in’ bingo, a class ‘move-it’ calendar (featuring yoga, breathwork, and dancing), and Random Acts of Kindness for their peers.
Based on feedback from our Green Team, we also held an Eco-anxiety Workshop. In this workshop, children learnt to manage anxiety related to environmental issues by focusing on positive actions being taken at local, national, and global levels. They were empowered by understanding that their actions—like recycling and walking to school—are already making a difference.
Later in the summer term, we will host a fortnight of Outdoor Learning, encouraging the benefits of outdoor activities and learning.
For further support, here are some useful resources for maintaining positive mental health: