Wellbeing
At Elmstead, we offer wellbeing hubs that operate as an after-school club at which children are provided with additional structured support. The project is aimed at children with emerging difficulties and those that do not reach the threshold for statutory services. The programme objectives are:
Develop resilience skills
Encourage each child to recognise and express emotion
Empower children
Enable children to start to develop their self esteem
Equip children with a set of skills and choices to tackle things that cause anxiety
To gain a “rucksack of skills” to take them forward into secondary school and beyond into the world of employment.
Thrive
As a school, we offer in-school support for children from a Thrive-trained practitioner. Teachers are already accessing support for individuals, however, as a parent, you may feel that your child would benefit from learning strategies to help them reduce anxieties or increase their self-confidence. Maybe you feel they would benefit from having someone to speak to about their concerns/worries in school or perhaps just have someone to talk to that is not emotionally attached to a situation. If you feel your child would benefit from Well-being please speak to your child's class teacher or Mrs Upston.
Wellbeing Ambassadors
Wellbeing Ambassador Job Description
Wellbeing Ambassadors are pupils who have shown a real interest in championing positive mental health and wellbeing. These pupils are keen to share their learning around mental health and advertise the importance of self-care. The Ambassadors have a responsibility for leading and promoting wellbeing throughout school, they drive the message forward and release the stigma around talking about challenging feelings and encourage people to talk. Wellbeing Ambassadors provide feedback on what’s working well and highlight any gaps in whole-school approaches to wellbeing.
The job of a Wellbeing Ambassador involves the following:
- Are you committed to wellbeing?
- Do you have a positive attitude?
- Are you interested in learning more about mental health?
- Are you willing to help others with their feelings?
- Are you kind, caring, responsible, brave, helpful and interested to understand more about healthy minds and bodies to help others?
myHappymind
We are proud to announce that we are 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. This Accreditation badge has been awarded thanks to all the effort our staff, children, governors and parents have put in to bring the lessons of myHappymind to life all around our school! To Learn more about the myHappymind for Schools programme visit their website here - https://myhappymind.org/
Forest School
At Elmstead Primary, we are delighted that all of our children have the opportunity to take part in Forest School sessions in our very own wildlife area throughout the academic year. Led by our experienced Forest School leader, Mrs Penny, these sessions offer something special — a chance for children to learn, grow and flourish outdoors in nature.
So, what is Forest School?
Forest School is a child-centred learning approach that takes place in a natural environment, such as woodland, grassland or other outdoor areas like our wildlife area. This style of learning encourages children to explore, discover and create through hands-on activities and play. It’s not just about being outside — it’s about developing confidence, independence, resilience and a lifelong love of learning.
Unlike a traditional classroom lesson, Forest School is learner-led. Children are supported to follow their curiosity and problem-solve, to take supported risks and to build meaningful connections with the world around them. Over time, this builds confidence, self-esteem, communication skills, creativity and emotional well-being.
🌿 What We Do in Forest School
In Forest School with Mrs Penny, the children can expect a wide variety of enriching outdoor experiences, including:
- 🔨 Den building – working together to create safe, imaginative shelters
- 🐞 Looking for wildlife – finding mini-beasts, birds and plants to study
- 🔪 Whittling safely – learning to use tools under supervision
- 🪵 Digging and exploring soil – discovering habitats and earth science
- 🌳 Using the outdoor swing – enjoying play and physical challenge
- 🔥 Light campfires – cooking safely and learning fire skills
- 🍡 Toasting marshmallows – enjoying time with friends
These activities are fun, yes — but they are also powerful learning opportunities. Children develop physical skills, improve communication, build teamwork and learn to assess and manage risk in a supportive environment.
Forest School is something our children remember long after the session has ended — and the joy of discovering something new in nature is something that stays with them for life.
We’re proud to be able to offer this inspiring programme as part of your child’s education at Elmstead Primary!
Rock Kidz Bring an Unforgettable Experience to Elmstead Primary School:
It is hard to put into words just how amazing it was when Rock Kidz visited Elmstead Primary School on Thursday 29th January 2026.
From the moment the sessions began, the children were completely engaged, inspired and full of energy.
The key messages of the day focused on self-esteem and kindness, encouraging every child to recognise their own worth and the importance of supporting others. The children were introduced to a brand-new word — YASBA, which stands for You’re Awesome So Be Awesome — a powerful reminder that everyone has something special to offer.
The session was packed with excitement, including lots of singing and dancing, as well as hilarious and high-energy dance battles between teachers, and between teachers and children! Laughter filled the hall and it was wonderful to see the staff and children joining in together with such enthusiasm.
This fabulous event was generously paid for by EPSA, and we would like to say a huge thank you to them for making this memorable experience possible.We are sure that the positive messages and joyful moments from the day will stay with the children for a long time to come.
Rock Kidz
Websites and resources:
Below you will find links to relevant well-being resources - videos, book recommendations, web pages, information packs, apps and more.
Just click on the link and you will be redirected to the relevant web page.
The content aims to provide support for both parents and children.
Place2Be - Improving Children's Mental Health