Wirral’s number one resource for families in Wirral, Family Toolbox provides practical advice, links and contacts to support parents.
Mental health and well being at OJS
Mental health & wellbeing sit at the heart of school life here at Overchurch Junior School. We believe in promoting positive mental health and emotional wellbeing to ensure that the school is a community where everyone feels able to thrive.
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In 2023, we achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools and have continued to embed the principles of this award through our work with pupils, staff, parents and the wider community. We are a ‘trauma sensitive’ & mentally healthy place for all.
“The school has a strong commitment to promoting emotional wellbeing and mental health (EWMH) for all. EWMH is integral to the school improvement plan and is evident in many areas of the curriculum…” (Wellbeing Award for Schools, Verification Report, Jan 2023)
More recently we have become a My Happy Mind school - this is an award-winning, NHS backed programme that focuses on building resilience, self-esteem and happiness in children. We are also further developing our enrichment offer through OJS Bloom. This is our commitment that every child will belong and matter by flourishing academically, socially, emotionally and personally through a rich programme of opportunities that extends beyond the classroom.
We all have mental health – some people call this emotional health or wellbeing.
The World Health Organisation defines mental health as a state of wellbeing in which every individual achieves their potential, copes with the normal stresses of life, works productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to their community. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel and act.
Good mental health and wellbeing is just as important as good physical health. Like physical health, mental health can range across a spectrum from healthy to unwell; it can fluctuate on a daily basis and change over time.
In school, we have a team of people who can help with support, advice and questions. Please get in touch if you need any help.
Pastoral Team (ID 1335)
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Mrs ElwillSenior Mental Health Lead, Mental Health First Aider, EWMH Lead, Pastoral Team Lead.
Mrs Elwill
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Mrs McGettrickMindfulness Coach, Pastoral Team.
Mrs McGettrick
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Mrs PovallMedical Lead, Pastoral Team.
Mrs Povall
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Mr SheehanSports Coach, Pastoral Team.
Mr Sheehan
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Mrs LeeSENDCo, Pastoral Team.
Mrs Lee
What happens in school
Every child in school has access to:
Free Breakfast Club
Staff meet and greet at the gate
Daily check-in boards in the classroom
My Happy Mind lessons
Trauma trained staff
Welcoming classroom environments
A carefully planned, engaging curriculum
Actively participating in Children’s Mental Health Week
Action for Children workshops
The OJS Bloom enrichment offer
A pastoral team with links to external agencies
Tilly meet-ups in the park
Support and Advice
Branch is an online mental wellbeing hub for children and young people in Wirral. It doesn’t deliver services but is more of a guide, helping young people find the best tools and local support.
Branch doesn’t offer crisis support but has information on where to get help in an emergency.
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families is transforming mental health by working with infants, children, young people and their families, their communities and professionals to deliver timely evidence-based support for all.
Recognising the signs that a child may be struggling with their mental health can be really hard. We’ve got advice to help you support children.
Whether you want to understand more about how you’re feeling and find ways to feel better, or you want to support someone who’s struggling, we can help.
The Child Mind Institute is dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders by giving them the help they need to thrive.
We’re the leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health, operating three Mission Areas that work together for greater impact: Care, Education and Science.
Elsa Support is a website which provides downloadable resources, and a range of complementary printed products, that support the teaching of emotional literacy or emotional intelligence by ELSA’s. A lot of the resources on this website are perfectly suitable for all teaching professionals to use and there is also a parent section with resources suitable for parents to use.
Flow & Steady: Tune into your body, your surroundings, and focus on your mental health.
Action for Happiness brings people together and provides practical resources. We help each other learn evidence-based skills for happier living, feel a sense of belonging and commit to personal action to create more happiness, for ourselves and others.
