We are all responsible for our own mental health. Our mental health affects how you feel, think and act. It refers to our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Our mental health can change on a daily basis and over time and it can be impacted by a range of factors. It is important to look after our mental health, as we would look after our physical health. Our state of well-being affects how we cope with stress, relate to others and make choices. It also plays a part in the relationships we build and nurture with those around us.

How we can support children and young people’s mental health?

Schools are the ideal environment to promote and support pupils’ mental health and wellbeing.

Most children and young people spend a significant amount of time in school and with their teachers, which means that school staff are in a good position to identify a child who may be struggling, and help refer them to get the support they need.

We do this through teaching health and wellbeing education (PSHE ) and weaving these topics and skills throughout the broader curriculum and school life. Health and wellbeing shouldn’t be taught in isolation but reinforced throughout the curriculum and through out the time that the child pupil is in school.  

Our goal is to teach children more about their emotions and to further develop their self-regulation skills. Self-regulation is an essential skill in life, and in all learning environments. The children will participate in activities and discussions designed to help them recognise when they are in each of the different Zones as well as learn how to use strategies to change or stay in the Zone they are in. Children will learn new vocabulary, skills in reading other people’s facial expressions, gain perspective about how others see and react to their behaviour, insight into events that trigger their behaviour, calming and alerting strategies, and problem-solving skills. These skills are taught through out a pupil's time at Victoria and Zones of Regulations are displayed in all of the classrooms, so that the children can interact with them on a regular basis. 

None of the Zones are “bad” or “naughty” and we never use either of these terms in school. All the Zones are expected at one time or another. As the curriculum progresses, children will practise identifying what Zone is expected, and how to change Zones to better match their levels of alertness and emotions appropriate to the situation.