A strong, supportive partnership between the school and its community has the greatest potential to yield increased enhancements in the mental health of young people.  Helen Keller makes a good point … 

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." - Hellen Keller

 “In order to help their pupils succeed, schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy. A healthy school actively seeks to promote emotional health and well-being alongside physical health, and helps pupils to understand their feelings.”

At Aston Clinton School we work towards positive mental health in the whole school community, for our adults as well as our children. Our commitment to the protection and enhancement of emotional wellbeing of staff and students begins at first contact and continues throughout their journey in our school.

All staff have a responsibility to provide pupils with a safe environment that actively protects and promotes their emotional health. Our school  is committed to providing staff with up-to-date training, supporting and encouraging their continued professional development, and to equipping them with the skills and knowledge to continue their existing good practice in the promotion of emotional wellbeing throughout the school environment.

We recognise the benefits of working to an Emotional Health and Wellbeing Policy:

• Pupils learn better and are happier in school if their emotional needs are also met.
• It empowers students to make considered decisions and manage their feelings.
• Out of school effective links with parents; evidence shows that if parents can also be supported to better manage their children’s behaviour, alongside work being carried out with the pupil at school – there is a much greater likelihood of success in reducing the child’s problems, and in supporting their academic and emotional development.

By keeping our focus on emotional health and wellbeing alongside other policies we aim to have:

• Happier and more motivated pupils and staff
• Pupils who are more engaged in the learning process
• Pupils who can concentrate and learn better
• More effective teaching and learning
• Parents and carers that are more involved in school life and learning
• Pupils and staff with high self-esteem, self-confidence and resilience
• Improved achievement, with everyone meeting their full potential
• Improved standards in all subjects, including Literacy and Mathematics
• Improved morale
• Lower absenteeism
• Good recruitment and retention levels of staff
• Positive and effective relationships for pupils, staff and parents/carers

In further support of this, we employ a, school-based, emotional health and wellbeing support worker.