Parent/Carer Support

Wellbeing Wednesday: Transition

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

Transition

Transitioning into a new class or school can feel exciting and scary at the same time. It is important to remember, you are not alone in this situation or alone with experiencing these feelings. If you are worried, it can be helpful to talk about how you are feeling about the transition with others as they may help you get prepared or give you a different perspective to consider, which can help you to feel better about it. Below are some tips to help you manage your transition into a new class or school.

Our tips for coping with transitions:

1 – What will be the same?
When moving to a new class or school, it can feel overwhelming because we feel that everything will change but there may be some similarities. For example, you may still have some people you know in your new class and you may still be learning subjects that you love.

2 – Think about what you can control
You may be worrying about the things that will be different in your new class. Think about the things you have control over and can think of practical solutions for. For example, can you visit your new classroom or complete your new journey to school, ahead of the first day? Can you ask a sibling or a friend to walk into class with you? You can ask for ideas from friends and family members too!

Follow this link for a video to show how some children solved their worries about moving up to secondary school.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Friendship

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Friendship

“I get by with a little help from my friends.” – The Beatles

Friendships are so important for our mental health, as they help to build our self-esteem, give us a sense of belonging and give us opportunities to share fun and happy experiences with others. We can also speak to our friends for support, or they can help to distract us through tougher times. Connecting with others is one of the NHS 5 ways to wellbeing; the 5 types of activities we need to be doing to promote our wellbeing!

Our tips for friendship:

  • Listen and pay attention – this makes others feel valued and heard.
  • Celebrate their wins – be happy for your friend when they succeed and celebrate with them, this makes them feel loved.
  • Support them – this may be by just listening to them or helping them to find solutions to their problems.
  • Have fun together! – making memories together makes friendships stronger, maybe try out a new hobby together!

You can also click on this link from Manchester Mind to find out more about how you can connect with others.

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” – Maya Angelou

This week is also ‘Loneliness Awareness Week’. Use this week to connect with others and make new friendships. You can do this by:

  • Saying, “Hello!” to a new person in the playground.
  • Letting a new person join in with your game.
  • Sharing something about yourself to start a conversation.
  • Offering to help someone with something.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Listening

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Listening

“He understands badly who listens badly.”  Welsh proverb

Listening is an important skill that helps us to feel connected to others and the world around us. When we listen, we can learn new things, solve problems and interact with people around us. This is great for our mental health as we are using our minds and connecting with people.

Try out these games to test your listening skills:

1 – Sound hunt!
Close your eyes and listen carefully to the sounds around you. See how many sounds you can identify in a minute. This type of listening activity helps us to connect with the world around us, which can help us to feel calm.

2 – Weekend catch up
In pairs, partners should take it in turns to talk for 1 minute about their weekend. The children should then ask each other questions about their weekend, to see if the listener could remember what they did. Each partner can score points for each question they answered correctly.

3 – I went to the supermarket, and I bought a…
As a group, sit in a circle. The first person says, “I went to the supermarket, and I bought a…” and they choose an item, for example an apple. The next person has to repeat that sentence and choose their own item to add. For example, “I went to the supermarket, and I bought an apple and a book”. Keep going around the circle adding items. If someone forgets an item, you move onto the next player. It gets harder as you go!

These last two games encourage ‘active listening’, where you are taking in the information you are hearing. This is a useful skill to practice. You can also practice this at home, trying to remember what you have heard on a programme or video!

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Caring

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Caring

Caring is about looking after the needs of yourself and others. There are lots of ways you can show others that you care, showing kindness, compassion, love, support and being thoughtful.

It is equally important to take time to care for ourselves, sometimes termed ‘self-care’. This can help us to increase our resilience and sense of self-worth. Allowing yourself time to engage in activities you enjoy and make you feel good, along with recognising unkind thoughts and trying to replace these with kinder thoughts can be part of caring for yourself.

Caring for others can help us feel connected, purposeful, and close to those we care for. These things are positive for our mental wellbeing. Can you think of a way you’ve shown care for someone this week?

Everyday millions of people in the UK give additional care to people they know through helping with everyday living tasks. Young Carers may also be responsible for looking after younger brothers and sisters and doing household chores. If you are, or you support a Young Carer, you can find local carers support by following these links:

Our tips for being caring:

  1. Caring Chain – write down an act of caring they can do for another person or for themselves on a strip of paper. Create a paper chain with each of these strips, by folding and linking them together. This can then be displayed and children can be encouraged to give a new act of caring a go each week.
  2. Try to identify 3 ways you have been caring towards yourself and 3 ways you have been caring towards others. Then, set a goal for another caring act you can carry out over the following week.
  3. Take time to practise self-care! Follow this link for some ideas of how you could be kinder to yourself.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Empathy

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“Empathy is about standing in someone else’s shoes, feeling with their heart, seeing with their eyes.” Daniel H Pink

Empathy

Empathy means feeling with someone, not just feeling sorry for them. It is one of the best ways to
be a kind friend and a good person. Empathy is not just noticing that someone is happy, sad, or
hurt—you’re trying to understand their feelings from their point of view and responding with
kindness.

Examples of when you could be empathetic:

Our tips for empathy:

  1. Pay attention to how people look and sound – are they happy, sad, or upset? Look for clues in
    their body language to find out how they might be feeling.
  2. Read a book or watch a TV show – pick a character in the book or show and imagine how that
    character might feel. Do you think all the characters feel the same? Put yourself in their
    shoes! Check out EmpathyLab’s #ReadForEmpathy book collection for ideas of what to read to build empathy.
  3. Empathy drawing – if you like to get creative, you could try drawing a picture of how
    someone else might feel in a certain situation (e.g., “a child who has lost their favourite toy”, “a
    child who is starting a new school”).
  4. Be kind with actions – even little things help – like sharing, listening, or giving a hug.
  5. Include everyone – invite others to play, join in, or sit with you. Notice if someone is standing
    alone, sitting on a bench, or watching others play.
  6. Kindness cards – consider making cards or notes for family, friends or classmates who might
    need a boost!

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Challenge

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips for wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

“The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” Nelson Mandela 

Challenges

Throughout our lives we are going to experience different challenges, both big and small. There will be times where these challenges are exciting and maybe other times where challenges could feel scary and uncertain. These different challenges will push us to try new things, build our resilience and teach us new things about ourselves and the world around us.

When taking on challenges, we learn that we can work towards goals, overcome any obstacles and be resilient even when something is difficult. A growth mindset can help us take on new challenges, it builds our confidence to have a go at things, increases our self-esteem and encourages us to keep trying, even if something doesn’t work out the first time!

Our top tips for challenging ourselves:

  1. Set yourself some goals you would like to reach this time next year (long term goals).
    Perhaps these can be things you’ve always wanted to do but never tried before. Break your goals down into medium-term goals and short-term goals (goals you can set to work towards the long-term goal in a few weeks or months).
  2. Ask for help when needed. Challenging ourselves is not about getting through difficult times alone…sometimes we need a helping hand and that is okay!
  3. Push yourself out of your comfort zone this week. You might want to try a new food, learn a new hobby, start a conversation with a different friend, or put your hand up in a lesson at school. Can you think of a SMART goal you would like to challenge yourself with this week? Click this link to learn more about SMART goals.
  4. Read books with characters who overcome challenges. What strategies did the characters use to push through them? Click this link to see a list of books that help children build resilience..

ThanksKids recognises the efforts and kindness of children and young people, and thanks them with personalised #NHSStars certificates. If you know a child or young person that deserves recognition for going above and beyond, don’t wait, nominate! [email protected].

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Laughter

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips For Wellness from Dragonfly: Impact Education

A day without laughter is a day wasted – Charlie Chaplin

Laughter is truly the best medicine and can have a hugely positive impact on our mental health. There are even laughter workshops and laughter coaching emerging in many places.

Why is laughing so good for us?

Laughing releases endorphins and relaxes your body and mind. Even if not engaging in full on laughter, smiling relaxes the mind and body. One interesting study suggested that it is actually the belief that the happiest people increase their wellbeing because they smile more frequently.

Our top tips for making the most of smiling and laughter:

  1. Keep It Real! Not all smiles are equal! In 1862, anatomist G B Duchenne noted that a muscle which surrounds the eye is only used in smiles that are real and not those that are posed. It’s these real smiles and laughter than release the endorphins so find things that genuinely make you happy!
  2. Find What Works For You: Our sense of humour is very individual. Some people like slap-stick humour whilst others prefer witty repartee! Don’t feel any pressure to follow the crowd but rather experiment with lots of types of comedy until you find something you like.
  3. Your Thoughts Matter: It’s really difficult to genuinely laugh or even smile if our thoughts are unhappy, so try to challenge negative thinking. Reframe this kind of thinking to positive (or neutral) thoughts and smile. This sends a signal to your body that everything is OK. It can be helpful to have a bank of happy thoughts that you bring to mind if you catch yourself in a negative spiral – things that always make you feel positive: loved ones, pets, beautiful experiences or views

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Reception Admissions 2025

/ / Parent/Carer Support

This week, parents/carers of children starting Reception in September 2025 received their school place confirmations. There are still a small number of places available for our new Reception class, starting in September 2025. Please contact the school for more information on [email protected]

We are looking forward to meeting our new parents/carers for our ‘New Parent/Carer’ meeting in May. The school will be sending out information during the week commencing 28th April.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Stress Awareness

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing
Tips For Wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Stress Awareness

Stress is what you feel when you’re worried, nervous, or under pressure. It’s your body’s way of
reacting to things that feel difficult, scary, or too much to handle. Everyone feels stressed sometimes!
Stress can come from lots of things, such as:

  • School – too much homework, exams, or feeling like you have to do really well.
  • Friends – disagreements/ arguments, bullying, or feeling left out.
  • Family – disagreements/ arguments, moving house, or changes like a new baby in the family.
  • Big Changes – starting a new school, growing up, or losing someone you care about.

Some stress can be good, but too much can cause us to feel anxious or depressed, which might
affect our sleeping, eating habits and general wellbeing. If stress is going on for a long time, we may
also experience ‘burnout’, which is when our body is exhausted and has not had a chance to rest.
There are things we can do to help our body recharge and reduce stress:

Our tips for managing stress:

  • Talk to someone you trust. This helps you not to feel alone, because someone is there to listen
    to you and to care. Remember – it’s okay to ask for help!
  • Stress bucket activity – follow the QR code/link to complete your own stress bucket. This may
    help you to see what is contributing to your stress, as well as what helps you to feel calmer.
  • Moving your body can help to release stress and make you feel good. Why not try dancing to
    your favourite song or going for a walk with friends or family?
  • Get creative – Art has been found to help people feel present in the moment and reduce the
    feeling of stress and worry. Follow the QR code/link for more information!
  • Create a calm corner – It is important to have somewhere that you feel safe, and you could go
    there when you feel like you need a break. You could fill the corner with soft things like pillows
    and blankets, and is the perfect place to read, draw, or even listen to calming music!

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

Wellbeing Wednesday: Be Active

/ / Parent/Carer Support, Wellbeing

Tips For Wellness from our Mental Health In Schools Team

Be Active

Moving our body every day can boost self-esteem, improve quality of sleep, contribute to better
social skills and reduce feelings of anxiety. When we feel anxious, our bodies can experience the
‘fight, flight, freeze’ response. Our hearts beat faster, we sweat more, and our muscles tense;
physical activity can help release these feelings!

Our brain also releases chemicals when we exercise, called endorphins, that make us feel good.
Even just 10 minutes of fast walking can contribute to mental alertness, increased energy and
positive mood.

Being active may be new to you, or you may already exercise regularly. Try to find an activity that
you want to do, and you find enjoyable. It’s okay if you aren’t sure what this is yet, have a go at
experimenting and why not start by checking out our ideas for being active below?

Our tips for being active:

  1. Add extra movement to your regular routine – Can you change the way you travel to school?
    Could you walk or cycle to your friend’s house, instead of travelling by car? If you need to use
    the car, think about parking further away to get some extra steps in!
  2. Try a new sport or activity – This is a great way to improve your sporting ability, but also an
    opportunity to make new friends and feel part of a team.
  3. Dance to music – Whilst it can be a good idea to join a sports club if you enjoy this type of
    activity, we can still be active whilst listening to music and having fun! You could dance to your
    favourite playlist whilst you are tidying your bedroom or helping your parents/carers around the
    house…you might even forget you are doing chores too!
  4. Get outdoors and move your body in the fresh air. If the weather is cold or rainy, why not try
    Zumba, hula hooping, skipping, or yoga.

Please contact [email protected] for information and advice about mental health and well-being for your child and your family.

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