SMILERS

(Mental Health and Well Being Support in School)

As a school we have worked closely with Derbyshire County Council to be part of the launch of their SMILERS campaign. Smilers is an acronym to help us remember the things we can do to improve our own mental health. This is for grown-ups, as well as for children.

Positive mental health is an essential part of children’s overall health—has a complex interactive relationship with their physical health and their ability to succeed in school, at work, and in society. Both physical and mental health affect how we think, feel, and act on the inside and outside. Mental health is important throughout childhood—from prenatal considerations through transitions to adulthood.

In School we have a range of pathways to support mental health, as you can see below.

Mental Health and Well Being 4 All

At Bolsover Infants and Nursery School, we aim to promote positive mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community (children, staff, parents and carers), and recognise how important mental health and emotional wellbeing is to our lives in just the same way as physical health. We recognise that children’s mental health is a crucial factor in their overall wellbeing and can affect their learning and achievement. All children go through ups and downs during their school career and some face significant life events.

SMILERS

Smilers is used as a whole school approach to talking about mental health. It is how we promote positive mental health across school. It was launch in the summer of 2022. Smilers stands for:

Each of the words explains to children the things they need to know and do to support their own mental health.

The SMILERS ways to wellbeing are:

STAY CONNECTED Having healthy relationships with people and pets to help you to feel happy.

MOVE Being active to releases chemicals in your brain which boosts your mood and makes you feel good.

INTEREST Having special interests and learning something new to keep your brain busy.

LOOK Using your senses to notice what is around you to keep you in the moment.

EATING WELL Eating a balanced diet to make you feel good and also to help you stay healthy and strong.

REST Getting a good night’s sleep to improve your memory, mood and mental health.

SUPPORT Supporting people to make us feel positive and to make them happy too!

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More information can be found here: Derby & Derbyshire - Emotional Health & Wellbeing (derbyandderbyshireemotionalhealthandwellbeing.uk)

Individual work around worries and anxiety:

For children we use a range of concept in class and on a one to one basis including:

Better Bears Please see our Better Bear Page by clicking here
Worry Monsters in class for sharing individual concerns
Worry Monster Stones for more specific concerns
Anxiety Gremlins for those children who need support

Travel Smart

Making an active Travel Smart journey by walking, scooting, cycling, car sharing or catching the bus, after a healthy breakfast and a good night’s sleep, is a great way to improve your wellbeing as part of your day to day life.

It’s also a way that you can do your bit to support reducing the harm to the planet and our health caused by cars and their engines by helping to reduce traffic jams, air pollution and climate change. So follow the SMILERS ways to wellbeing and Travel Smart on your journey school, it’s MILES better for everyone!

Below are some ideas that might help...

SMILERS - Looking after ourselves and the Environment

Please click the picture above to see the learning we carried out, for Mental Health Awareness Week February 2023.

Helpful Webpages

Children's mental health - Every Mind Matters - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Promoting mental health and wellbeing | NSPCC Learning

Buddy Zone | Childline

Art box | Childline