'Wellbeing is at the heart of successful learning'- Penwortham Primary School celebrates mental health award
"At Penwortham Primary School, we want every child to understand that looking after their mental health is just as important as looking after their physical health.”
A primary school in South Ribble says they are “incredibly proud” to receive a prestigious accreditation recognising their commitment to pupils’ wellbeing.
Penwortham Primary School has achieved the myHappymind bronze accreditation, which it says recognises ”our whole-school commitment to placing children's mental health, wellbeing and personal development at the heart of everything we do.”
myHappyMind, as it is stylised, is an NHS-commissioned, curriculum-based mental health programme for school children, which consists of modules focused on understanding the brain, gratitude, character strengths, relationships and goal-setting.
The accreditation is then handed to schools and nurseries that have taken part in the programme, showing that they prioritise the mental health and well-being of their pupils, staff, and parents.
Mrs Laura Barlow, Personal Development and Wellbeing Lead at the school, said: "At Penwortham Primary School, we want every child to understand that looking after their mental health is just as important as looking after their physical health.
“The myHappymind programme has given our children the knowledge, language and confidence to understand their emotions, build resilience and develop positive habits that will support them throughout their lives.
“We are incredibly proud to have achieved Bronze Accreditation, and even prouder of the way our children embrace these important life skills every day."
Through the myHappymind programme, pupils at Penwortham Primar have developed a greater understanding of how their brains work and learnt practical strategies to help them build confidence, manage their emotions, form positive relationships and develop lifelong healthy habits.
The school says that these skills support their vision of creating 'Happy Children Who Achieve' and complement its wider PSHE curriculum and school values of Aspire, Belong, Care and Discover.
Throughout the year, children across school have embraced the programme with enthusiasm, taking part in engaging lessons, discussions and activities that encourage self-awareness, gratitude, resilience and positive mental wellbeing.
Families have also been encouraged to continue this learning at home, helping to strengthen the partnership between school and home in supporting children's emotional development.
A school spokesperson added: “At Penwortham, we believe that children's wellbeing is at the heart of successful learning.
“Achieving Bronze Accreditation is a wonderful milestone and reflects the dedication of our pupils, staff and families in making wellbeing a priority every day. It recognises the work we have undertaken to embed positive mental health throughout school life and our commitment to ensuring every child feels happy, safe and ready to learn.
“We are delighted to celebrate this achievement and look forward to continuing our myHappymind journey as we work towards the next level of accreditation, ensuring that wellbeing remains at the heart of everything we do.”
The accreditation came just weeks after Penwortham Primary School celebrated the release of a new Ofsted report too which you can read about here.