At St Nicolas we aim to promote positive mental health for every member of our staff and student body.  We pursue this aim using both universal, whole school approaches and specialised, targeted approaches aimed at vulnerable students.  In addition to promoting positive mental health, we aim to recognise and respond to mental ill health.  In an average classroom, three children will be suffering from a diagnosable mental health issue.  By developing and implementing practical, relevant and effective mental health policies and procedures we can promote a safe and stable environment for students affected both directly, and indirectly by mental ill health.

Early intervention to identify issues and provide effective support is crucial. Our Academy aims in supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing which can be summarised as:

Prevention: creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing 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 wellbeing 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; and

Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment

Our Mental Health and Well Being Policy can be found on our policies here

Supporting Pupils

Within the school we use The Thrive Approach. This approach helps us to support the emotional health and well-being of all our children. It may take the form of one-to one sessions, small group work or whole class teaching.

Our PSHE curriculum has creative and engaging content based on a sequential Jigsaw scheme. This is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health which is in embedded in our whole school ethos. We also follow the Warwickshire schools’ Taking Care: Protective Behaviours Scheme as well as a number of other programmes to support pupil’s understanding of their mental health and well being e.g. Rights, Respecting School