Mental Health and Wellbeing
At Portway Infant School, we care deeply about every child’s mental health and wellbeing. We want our children to feel happy, safe, and confident to share how they’re feeling, knowing that there is always someone here to listen and help.
Our aim is for every child to enjoy school, achieve their best, and grow into kind, caring individuals who look after themselves and others. We want our children to feel safe, valued and happy. We work together as a school community to make sure everyone feels supported and valued.
We promote positive mental health and wellbeing through our PSHE lessons, the way our staff model kind and respectful behaviour, and our behaviour policy, which focuses on building strong, positive relationships with children at its heart.
Our staff regularly reflect on how we support children’s emotional wellbeing and are always learning new ways to help through training and the latest research.
At Portway Infant School, we truly believe that everyone’s mental health matters — children, families, and staff alike.
Emotionally Healthy Schools
Home - Emotionally Healthy Schools
At Portway Infant School, our vision is for every child to develop to their fullest potential — academically, socially, emotionally, and physically — so they can grow into happy, healthy, and confident individuals.
We believe that nurturing children’s emotional health and wellbeing is fundamental to their success in all areas of life. When children feel safe, valued, and emotionally secure, they are better able to learn, build positive relationships, and actively engage in the world around them.
It is widely recognised that a child’s emotional wellbeing plays a vital role in their cognitive development, physical health, and social growth, as well as laying the foundations for positive mental health in adulthood.
The Department for Education highlights the important role that schools play in supporting pupils to develop resilience and maintain good mental health. At Portway Infants, we are fully committed to this responsibility — creating a nurturing, inclusive, and supportive environment where every child can flourish.
Managing young people's anxiety
what-is-anxiety-in-children.pdf
Some mindful and relaxation exercises to help manage anxiety in children:
Managing your own wellbeing
Useful links
Young Minds has a parent helpline that offers free confidential telephone and email support to any adult that is worried about the wellbeing of a child or young person.
0808 802 5544
Mind – Information line offers advice and support to service users; has a network of local associations in England and Wales to which people can turn for help.
0300 123 3393, text number: 86463
Bridge the Gap is a non-profit children's mental health team, based in Derby. As a school we have worked closely with the team and they have had a big impact in the mental health of the children and families in our school.
https://www.jwbridgethegap.com/book-online
01332 600827
45 Friar Gate NOT, Friar Gate Ct, Derby DE1 1DA
Hub of Hope
The Hub of Hope is the UK’s leading mental health support database. It is provided by national mental health charity, Chasing the Stigma, and brings local, national, peer, community, charity, private and NHS mental health support and services together in one place for the first time. You can access the database via the website www.hubofhope.co.uk or you can download the hub of hope app to your phone or tablet.
Kooth
Kooth is a free online Mental Health and Well-being resource for children and young people in Derby and Derbyshire that requires no formal referral, instead only requiring the user to set up an account on the website. Available 365 days of the year via mobile, tablet and desktop devices from 12 noon to 10pm Monday-Friday and 6pm-10pm at weekends, the service provides access to accredited counselling support, peer support via online forums and relevant articles detailing a variety of topics.
To sign up, please visit www.kooth.com/
Qwell
Qwell is a free online Mental Health and Wellbeing resource for parents and carers of young people under the age of 18 that requires no formal referral, instead only requiring the user to set up an account on the website. Available 365 days of the year via mobile, tablet and desktop devices from 12 noon to 10pm Monday-Friday and 6pm-10pm at weekends, the service provides access to accredited counselling support, peer support via online forums and relevant articles detailing a variety of topics.
To sign up, please visit www.qwell.io/
For some useful guidance on maintaining aspects of your mental health at this very challenging time of unknowns and social restrictions please visit https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak