At Ightenhill Primary School, we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils, their families and staff.

We know everyone experiences life challenges that can make us vulnerable at times and anyone may need additional emotional support. We take the view that positive mental health is everybody's business and that we all have a role to play.

Ightenhill Primary School is an ATTACHMENT & TRAUMA AWARE SCHOOL

An understanding of the impact of trauma and attachment on the developing brain of the child enables school to recognise behaviours as communication and develop approaches that address the underlying needs of the child.

Understanding attachment theory, so the school can become a secure base where there are strong adult child relationships, enhances learning outcomes and wellbeing for all children as well as supporting those that have unmet needs or have experienced trauma and neglect 

                                            At our School we aim to:

• help children understand their emotions and feelings better
• help children feel comfortable sharing their worries or concerns
• help children to form and maintain healthy relationships
• promote self esteem and encourage children to be confident and that they matter
• help children to be persistent even when faced with challenges
• help children to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
• help children to develop a 'Growth Mindset'

Support for you and your family

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the wellbeing of all our children has never been so important.

At Ightenhill Primary School all our staff are now COVID-19 Psychological First Aiders to ensure as a team we can help support you and your children cope with the emotional impact of this pandemic.

Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/psychological-first-aid-in-emergencies-training-for-frontline-staff-and-volunteers

Please see the links and resources below designed to offer advice on how parents/carers can safeguard their child/ren's mental health and promote their wellbeing. We hope these will help you to support your child to deal with and understand some of the emotions they may be experiencing during these very different times. 

We suggest that you read through the links and resources yourself first to decide what would be most appropriate for your child. 

Information and Resources for Parents

Lancashire Emotional Health in Schools (LEHS) have put together some resources for our parents to better understand children's emotional and mental health, as well as effective and practical ways to support them. 

Please click here to be directed to their dedicated page where you can find some new video links on understanding what mental health is, and what influences both good and poor emotional well being. There will be more videos being launched over the next few weeks so be sure to keep checking.  

Lancashire Healthy Young People and Family Service

This service provides School Health Visitor and School Nursing services across the county, offering support, advice and resources to help your family with health and well-being needs.

Please click the link below for more information,

https://protect-eu.mimecast.com/s/qFleCMjNnizzRpjskXuja?domain=lancsyoungpeoplefamilyservice.co.uk/

Barnardo's Support and Advice for Parents

Are you worried about the effects of the pandemic on your life? We are here to support children, young people and their families. If you need help with going back to school, parenting advice, mental health and counselling, coping with family stress and more, get support now.

Click here to access information from Barnardo's website.

Ightenhill Primary offer different levels of support.

• Universal support - To meet the needs of all of our pupils through our schools overall ethos, values and our wider curriculum.

• Additional support - For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences such as loss and bereavement.

• Targeted support - For those pupils who may need a more differentiated approach of support and resources or specific targeted interventions such as Learning Mentor sessions, wellbeing groups, or a referral to wider professionals.

Schools Mental Health leads: Mrs. Brown - Inclusion Manager

& Mr Crosier - Head Teacher

Learning Mentor - Mrs. Walton

Learning Mentor - Miss Wareing

(ELCAS) Education Mental Health Practitioner - Paula Mayger

School also have two CYP Complex Needs Support Workers from Brighter Lives Northwest who also work in school with some of our identified children. They offer support to children, young people and adults from Burnley and Padiham in all aspects of their lives. 

Mrs. Brown has undertaken training to learn about how best to support children who have parents or family members in prison, and has a clear understanding of the role and the responsibilities that come with it, ensuring support is offered to each child impacted.

Should you need any help or advice regarding issues around mental health and well being please do not hesitate to contact school.

This is a very exciting time for Ightenhill to introduce Paula Mayger to our team for the next 12-months as she trains to become an Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP).

We have been selected to host one of eight EMHP's that are being based across Lancashire and cannot wait to offer support to Paula and to our school community to enhance the offer around Mental Health to our children and wider community.

Please read our welcome letter to find out more information and we will continue to update you all as this role progresses.

We hope you will all welcome Paula to our Ightenhill family.

Place 2 Be have teamed up with BAFTA Kids to create two virtual assemblies for Children’s Mental Health Week 2022, supported by Oak National Academy.

This year, they have created two assemblies – one for primary schools, and one for secondary and high schools – to help children and young people across the UK take part in the week and explore the theme of ‘Growing Together.’

Both assemblies feature a very special message from BAFTA and Oscar-winning actress, Olivia Colman.

Find out more and watch the Primary School assembly below.

Place2Be Primary CMH week video

Please also see below the Children's Mental Health Week activities that our children will also be accessing over this week!