Mental Health and Wellbeing
At Marton cum Grafton, children’s happiness and wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We know that nurturing relationships, ensure that our children feel happy and safe to come to school, and with that comes their readiness to learn and thrive.
We strongly believe that children must feel safe, happy and a sense of belonging in order to successfully learn and achieve at school. In an ever-changing world, where children are presented with challenges and uncertainty, understanding how to maintain good mental and physical health from a young age is essential for children, as they progress through their education and into adulthood.
Over the course of their education, children spend 7,800 hours learning. This is a large amount of time in school and is therefore an ideal environment for teachers and children to promote healthy emotional wellbeing, recognise early behaviour changes and identify signs of decline in mental health. At Marton cum Grafton, we believe that children who develop their social and emotional skills, as well as knowledge in the classroom, can build resilience and understand ways of managing their mental health as they progress through life.
We would like to introduce you to Juno, who has been trained to volunteer for the organisation Pets as Therapy. Juno is a 6-year-old black Labrador who will be coming in to school with her owner to interact with the children. Our hope is that this will be an ongoing activity which aligns with our goals to positively impact the well-being and mental health of our children.
Studies have shown there are numerous benefits to having a school pet, the presence of a therapy dog can improve the well-being of children and lower anxiety levels, simply by making the environment happier and more enjoyable. It has been found that contact with a therapy dog can provide a calming effect on students, reduces stress and also improves concentration, self-esteem and self-confidence.
