Mental Health Awareness Week at Park School
How can movement improve your child’s mental health?
We all know exercise improves our physical health, but did you know it's vital for your child's mental health too? Beyond the obvious benefits of keeping their bodies strong and healthy, regular physical activity plays a crucial role in supporting children's emotional and mental well-being. Engaging in exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, which can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression in children. Moreover, it fosters better sleep patterns, enhances self-esteem, and improves concentration and cognitive function. Whether it's playing sports, dancing, or simply enjoying outdoor play, encouraging your child to stay active can have profound and lasting positive effects on their mental health.
How are Park School encouraging movement during Mental Health Awareness Week?
All of us here at Park School have spent a great deal of time educating children on the importance of regular movement, and how it can benefit their mental health.
We’ve included:
- Outdoor lessons
- Hourly movement breaks
- Movement trackers to keep us aware of how much or little we move throughout the day.
- Lessons in each year group focussing on the importance of movement for mental health.
Pastoral care outside of Mental Health Awareness Week for Park pupils
Here at Park School, we pride ourselves on our excellent year-round pastoral care. Our dedicated pastoral care hub is a safe place for children to work through their emotions through a variety of techniques with our Pastoral and ELSA Lead, Miss Whitbread. Support is offered in both group and one-to-one sessions.
Pastoral activities at Park School include:
- ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) targeted sessions focusing on a particular area i.e ‘being able to recognise what makes me feel angry’.
- Lego therapy
- Well-being check ins
- Focused friendships groups
- Lunchtime mindfulness drop in.
- Pastoral support – specific to the emotional, social and spiritual support for pupils
- New starters (children and staff) welcome and check in throughout their first term
- Kindness ambassadors – specific Year 6 children who focus on kindness (one of our Park values) within school