Our School’s Values
At Castle Park School, we have five school values which are taught throughout the year, both in assemblies and in class.
With these five simple core themes, we help our children to become:
- Resilient
- Resourceful
- Reflective
- Respectful
- Responsible.
We support our pupils every step of the way on their journey through education, ensuring that children become the best that they can be.
How do we support mental health at Castle Park School?
We use the DfE’s guidance, Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools, as a guide and work to their ideals:
- Prevention: creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and well-being of the whole school population, and equipping pupils to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively. This will include teaching pupils about mental well-being through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos.
- Identification: recognising emerging issues as early and accurately as possible.
- Early support: helping pupils to access evidence based early support and interventions.
- Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment. Key staff have been trained in children’s Mental Health by Mental Health England, through our local Mental Health service provider.
- Our Senior Mental Health Lead has specialist training.
Curriculum Links
The foundation for our mental health offer is a whole school approach. Learning about mental health is part of our Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum for all children.
This teaching and learning for all is part of the Prevention phase of mental health, mentioned above. Children receive a dedicated PSHE teaching each week. Beyond lesson time, our school culture embeds good mental health. For example, our extensive grounds have been developed as a haven for nature and reflection.
Pupils also have access to Mindful Mondays Club. This is a quiet space open at Lunchtime once a week, where children can enjoy quieter and calmer activities such as colouring and reading. There is always a staff member for children to talk to.
Examples of approaches used with school are:
- Child Mental Health First Aiders on staff team.
- Staff trained to Level 2 Child and adolescent Mental Health
- Weekly targeted Art therapy
- Mindful Mondays support group
- Working with wider agencies and support networks
Staff
- Designated staff mental health support
- Trained Mental Health First Aider in workplace
- Colleagues trained in suicide awareness
- Ongoing professional development opportunities
- An internal HR and Pay advisory service
- Employee benefits including self-referral for occupational health support including mental health and physical health as well as physiotherapy
- Cycle to work scheme
- Access to support and counselling through schools’ insurance scheme
- Designated line managers
- Staff wellbeing and stress risk assessments
