Ribbleton Avenue Methodist Junior School

Our Vision 

Within this truly distinctive Methodist School, our common purpose is to enable every child to thrive academically, emotionally and spiritually and to become the person God intends them to be. We will be a school of which the local community and the Methodist Church are justly proud. 

Our Mission 

“Brighter futures built with Ambition, Courage and Respect; filled with Love, Hope and Faith”  

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

(World Health Organization 2014)

At our school, we aim to promote positive mental health for every child, parent / carer and staff. We pursue this aim using both whole school approaches and specialised, targeted approaches aimed at identified vulnerable pupils and families. We have a supportive and caring ethos and our approach is respectful and kind, where each individual and contribution is valued. We endeavour to ensure that children are able to manage times of change and stress and aim to ensure that they are supported to reach their potential or to access help when they need it. 

Our aim is to help develop the protective factors which build resilience to mental health problems and to be a school where:

· All children are valued.

· Children have a sense of belonging and feel safe.

· Children feel able to talk openly with trusted adults about their problems without feeling any stigma.

· Positive mental health is promoted and valued.

· Bullying is not tolerated

We want our children to:

• Be effective and successful learners.
• Make and sustain friendships.
• Deal with and resolve conflict effectively and fairly.
• Solve problems with others for themselves.
• Manage strong feelings such as frustration, anger and anxiety.
• Be able to promote calm, optimistic states that support the achievement of goals.
• Recover from setbacks and persist in the face of the difficulties.
• Work and play cooperatively.
• Compete fairly and win and lose with dignity and respect for other competitors.
• Recognise and stand up for their rights and the rights of others.
• Understand and value the differences and commonalities between people, respecting the rights of others to have beliefs and values different from their own.

Curriculum organisation

Emotional health and well-being cover the spectrum of activities in school and the range of educational and health/ welfare agencies who support our children. Our school is proactive in its approach and welcomes opportunities to promote emotional health and well-being through the formal and informal curriculum.

Staff use a variety of methods for ensuring sound emotional health and well-being for children. These complement and reflect the overall aims and philosophy of the school. Our approach includes:

• Clear vision and value for the school
• Codes of conduct linked to the Christian values of the school
• Clearly identified rewards and sanctions, understood by all.
• Rewarding positive behaviour and achievement through our house point system
• Positive Growth Mindset
• Setting appropriately challenging tasks.
• Providing a forum for listening and talking, e.g. SAP groups, Learning mentor support, Family Support Work, Nurture sessions
• Encouraging co-operation and collaboration.
• Developing social competence.
• Encouraging and developing coping strategies and resilience.

Clear policies for Behaviour, Child Protection, Anti-Bullying and Attendance are promoted in school. Together, they provide the foundations for emotional, mental health and well-being.

Alongside our policies are a range of practices to promote positive mental health;

• A School Council with elected membership from Y3-Y6.
• 'My Happy Mind - Happiness Heroes.
• ‘random acts of kindness’
• Achievement assemblies.
• A whole school system of rewards for individuals: star of the week, top table, house points
• Well-being Champions

My Happy Mind

My Happy Mind is a programme that school have started to use over the past year. This is something that enables children to thrive in the modern world by gaining an understanding and awareness of their own mental health and wellbeing. 

All of the resources, lessons and activities support the formation of habits both at home and in school. The approach is to ‘train the teacher’ which includes teachers in schools and parents so that the learning can be embedded into the everyday.

In teaching the science and embedding habits around mental wellbeing in a fun and positive way, it gives children the understanding and tools to cope when times get hard.