Supporting Our Children
The Curriculum
Our nurturing ethos ensures that children at Woodlands learn in a safe and caring environment. Children are taught emotional literacy skills through whole class SEMH sessions, circle time activities, targeted intervention, theme weeks and externally provided sessions/assemblies.
Our SMSC and PSHCE curriculum allow for us to ensure children have access to opportunities which enable them to build their self-esteem and social skills. Children across school take part in regular mental health lessons through Jigsaw & My Happy Mind lessons and interventions. These sessions look at managing emotional well-being and developing strategies to support reducing anxiety and stress.
For all our children, we have worry boxes available and initiatives such as daily mood check-ins, meet and greet and snack and chat sessions where children can talk about their feelings on a daily basis.
In addition to the above, Woodlands operates a Behaviour Curriculum 'The Woodlands Ways'. In order to build character, we define the behaviours and habits that we expect children to demonstrate. We aim to support our children to grow into adults who are respectful, responsible, resilient and safe and who put others before themselves. We believe that, as children practise these behaviours over time, they become habits that positively shape how they feel about themselves and how other people perceive them.
The Woodlands Ways - Behaviour Curriculum
My Happy Mind
We are proud to be a myHappymind Bronze Accredited school!
This means that as a school we consider the mental health and wellbeing of our children as one of our top priorities. We have created a whole school culture that helps build our children's resilience, confidence and self esteem as well as teaching them how to self regulate in those stressful times.
We have embedded the myHappymind programme across school to teach our children the science behind their thought and behaviour processes and give them the skills and knowledge to develop their self-regulation and successfully support their mental wellbeing. We see the children applying what they have learnt every day and we celebrate this with a certificate at the end of each module.
Grounded in positive psychology and neuroscience, myHappymind is a whole school approach that aims to develop resilient, confident, independent children and enables them to understand how to keep mentally healthy.
It helps children to:
· Feel happier.
· Know what to do when they feel worried or stressed.
· Improve their focus and learn more.
· Achieve more of the goals that they set for themselves.
· Develop better relationships with friends and families.
· Feel great about who they are and have positive self esteem.
Here is what some of our staff and children say about myHappymind:-
“My children have a brilliant knowledge of HAP! They are fascinated by the amygdala and how it takes control when we are sad.”
“I have liked learning about the different parts of the brain.”
“I think the breathing is good and it helps you relax.”
The myHappymind resources for parents can be accessed online here or via their free app. These resources will support parents to further embed the learning and ensure that they are able to engage in these topics with their child.
The Reflection Room
Our Reflection Room is used as safe space for children to explore their emotions through 1:1 or small group targeted intervention with access to a range of alternative resources, including sensory provision and role play.
Reflection Room - 2021-22
Our Learning Mentor, Mrs Grant, manages our Reflection Room and provides 1:1 and small group intervention to targeted children.
Local Links
User the Hyperlinks below to find out more about people working hard to support children's emotional wellbeing and Mental Health in Oldham
Healthy Young Minds (CAMHS)
Healthy Young Minds Oldham (formerly CAMHS) offer specialist services to children and young people who are experiencing mental health and emotional wellbeing difficulties.
They help children and young people up to the age of 18 years and provide support to their families/carers.
Some of the problems that HYM help children with include:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Psychosis
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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
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Self-harm
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ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
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ASD (Autistic Spectrum Disorder)
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More complex psychological difficulties
Youth in Mind (TOG Mind)
The Youth in Mind initiative is specifically targeted to respond to the needs of children and young people.
Youth in Mind prioritise two main areas. Firstly, they work closely with schools to raise awareness of mental health issues and provide education and support to children, parents, teachers and governors. Secondly, they offer an innovative range of therapeutic services that can be tailored to meet both school, community and individual needs.
Youth in Mind offer drop in sessions, both 1:1 and group support in the centre of Oldham
National Organisations
The following websites have lots of child friendly information about looking after your emotional wellbeing and mental health