Well-being
At Old Trafford Community Academy, we adopt a whole-school, educative and proactive approach to promoting good mental health and wellbeing.
We do this by:
Building Resilience
We recognise that high self-esteem, peer support and clear lines of communication with trusted adults help children, especially those at risk of abuse and neglect or who have suffered trauma.
Creating an emotionally literate academy:
All of our staff are responsible for ensuring that the academy is a welcoming place for every child and are responsible for helping children build their self-esteem. All classrooms should aim to operate as emotionally-literate environments, in an age-appropriate manner and all classes should promote a sense of community and promote well- being.
Through the PSHE curriculum:
At Old Trafford Community Academy our PSHE curriculum is designed to equip children with relevant and meaningful content, which is supported through a strong emphasis on emotional literacy, building resilience and nurturing mental and physical health. With an ever-changing society, we are able to provide our children with a strong understanding of the diverse world around them and support them in playing a positive role in contributing to the school and the wider community in order to equip them to navigate and respond resiliently to our ever changing society. Weaving through the heart of our PSHE teaching, is a commitment to embedding our school values which are: Optimism, Trust, Community, Resilience.
Well- being support offer
Family and Child Well- being Lead Practitioner, Sarah Doyle, leads the work across the school. Sarah Doyle is also one of the school's Mental Health First Aiders.
Whilst all staff have a responsibility to promote the mental health of children, staff with a specific, relevant remit include:
Ms Zaman- Designated Safeguarding and Inclusion Lead
Mrs Doyle – Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead & Senior Mental Health Lead
Mrs Davenport – Safeguarding Lead & Mental Health First Aider
Mr Chadwick- Safeguarding Lead
Mrs Nikou - Safeguarding Lead &SENDCO
Miss Harris - PSHE Coordinator
Intervention
At old Trafford Community Academy, our children are able to access the support from Place2b.
Place2Be have been commissioned to provide one to one counselling in selected primary schools across Trafford and Old Trafford Community Academy has been chosen as one of them to receive this.
Place2Be is a national charity providing emotional and therapeutic services in primary and secondary schools across the country. Building children's resilience through talking, creative work and play. Place2Be provides the space for children to explore their worries and help them to cope and build their resilience.
Saoirse McPeake, a qualified Mental Health Practitioner/counsellor has been appointed to the school for one day per week, where they are able to see up to 4 children per day. Each session will last around 45 minutes, depending on how worried children might be will depend on the number of sessions they will attend.
The school may have suggested your child accesses Place2Be for emotional support. The support provided to your child will allow them the space to explore their present situation and allow them to have the best opportunity to achieve academically.
There are times when children feel particularly sad, confused, fearful or angry, due to family problems such as separation or illness, or even the death of a much-loved pet. Some may become withdrawn; others may become demanding or challenging in their behaviour: that's when having Place2Be intervention is especially helpful.
The Mental Health Practitioner will work therapeutically with your child, in school, to give them the opportunity to express their feelings and explore their emotions using play and art. The Mental Health Practitioner will work collaboratively with the child and offer a safe environment to help improve their resilience and confidence to cope with everyday worries.
Place2Be will work closely with yourself as the child’s parent/carer, we will ask you, your child and the school to complete an assessment. This will allow us to identify what the specific concerns might be, this assessment will be reviewed to identify how well they are doing in their sessions. Place2Be will be in touch with you to arrange an appointment for you to call into school to meet with the Mental Health Practitioner and talk through the assessment document with you. This will also provide you with the opportunity to ask questions and chat more with the Mental Health Practitioner about the work of Place2Be.
If you would like to know a bit more about Place2Be please check out our website: https://www.place2be.org.uk/
Parent Partnership
We value good links with parents and carers. Our staff want to work openly and honestly with you in the best interests of your child. Please talk to your child’s teacher, or any member of staff, if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s learning.
Extended services
Our extended services staff work closely with parents and carers. They provide a range of activities for families throughout the week, as well as during the school holidays. These include: Stay and Play, Time to Talk, Chai Women Project.