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Mental Health Hub
The wellbeing of our Penpol family and community is of utmost importance and we are here to provide that support.
Penpol School is a Trauma Informed School (TIS), supporting children and families who suffer from trauma or mental health problems to help prevent this becoming a barrier to learning or life in general. It could be said that we have all experienced trauma, especially with every person being affected in some way by the Coronavirus pandemic.
In this area of our website we have information about things we do in school, things you can do at home, links to our newsletter and other websites offering support, ways to contact our team and details of virtual and in person get togethers. We hope you find it useful – please do get in touch as we love hearing from you!
Bec Thomas
SENDCO and Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner
Online Training and Support
We aim to produce a wellbeing newsletter every term packed full of activities and creative challenges – download the latest issue (and back issues) here.
Our Mental Health Support Team
Mel Smart
Teaching Assistant, Nurture Lead and Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner
Jessica Riches
Class 7 Teacher and Bereavement Champion
Rachel Neve
Teaching Assistant, Lunchtime Supervisor and Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner
Bec Thomas
SENDCO and Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner
If you’d like to get in touch with anything relating to wellbeing please email tis@penpol.cornwall.sch.uk in the first instance and we will get back to you.
We have a bereavement team of specially trained staff who can offer support to children and families who have suffered a bereavement of any kind. We work closely with Penhaligon’s Friends and have a memory garden in school. Our Bereavement Champion is Mrs Riches – please get in touch using bc@penpol.cornwall.sch.uk if you’d like some support.
We have several policies which help to support the work we do in school – relationships policy, bereavement policy, SEN policy – please click on their names to view them.
It’s well known that we should all aim for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but there is also the 5 a day to support mental health:
5-A-Day for Mental Health
Connect
Talk and listen to family, friends and the people around you.
Feel connected.
Be Active
Walk, run, cycle, garden, dance around the kitchen!
Try yoga or mindfulness.
Move your mood!
Keep Learning
Read a book.
Learn a new skill.
Learn along with your child.
Cook a new recipe.
Take Notice
Remember the simple things that bring you joy and make time to enjoy them.
Take time out from your devices.
Spend time out from your devices.
Look around you at the changing seasons.
Give
Do something nice for someone.
Smile and say thank you!
Volunteer your time to your community.
We will make suggestions of activities for each of these in our weekly newsletter.
Useful Links for Children
As a school we are in touch with many organisations which support mental health, for children, adults, families and staff. Keep an eye on these links as we are adding to them all the time.
Useful Links for Adults
from Young Minds
from Mind
from Mind
from the BBC
from Trauma Informed Schools
from Place 2 Be
from Headstart Kernow
Other Useful Information
These services offer confidential advice from trained volunteers. You can talk about anything that’s troubling you, no matter how difficult:
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans, or email: jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
- Text “SHOUT” to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text “YM” if you’re under 19
If you’re under 19, you can also call 0800 1111 to talk to Childline. The number will not appear on your phone bill.
This page was last updated:
21st November 2023