Today we came together as a school community to celebrate World Mental Health Day, which is a vital opportunity to raise awareness about mental health and remind our children (and ourselves) that it's okay not to be okay. Mental health matters every day, but today gave us a wonderful chance to pause, reflect and remind our children of the many ways they can ask for help, share their feelings and support each other with kindness.

To mark the occasion, pupils and staff were invited to wear yellow and donate £1 in support of mental health charities. The school was a sea of sunshine as children proudly wore their yellow outfits, spreading warmth and happiness throughout the building. Throughout the day, each class took part in activities designed to open up important conversations and build emotional resilience. Assemblies and class discussions helped children understand more about mental health, linking into our school values of helpfulness and concern for society.

This year, we are proud to relaunch our new Worry Boxes across every classroom. This is a safe way for children to express any worries or concerns they may have. With just one box per class, made and decorated with the children's help, these creative spaces are a gentle way for pupils to feel heard and supported. Slips of paper will be kept next to each box, and children will have a daily opportunity to write down their thoughts and feelings, giving them the chance to offload and ask for help when they need it. Thank you to all the families who kindly donated empty tissue and shoe boxes to help make this project possible.

In KS1, children created colourful sunflower-themed posters on how to be kind and helpful to others. KS2 pupils wrote thoughtful personal pledges, focusing on how they can support both their own mental health and the wellbeing of others. These activities are proudly displayed in our class floorbooks.

Our wonderful Mental Health Ambassadors captured the day with lots of brilliant photographs using our special photobooth props - a lovely way to document the smiles, support, and strength shown by our school community.

At Chapelford, mental health isn’t something we talk about just once a year. We are proud to support our children every day through a range of well-being interventions, including:

  • Emotional resilience activities
  • Friendship support and conflict resolution
  • Techniques to manage emotions and breathing exercises
  • Participation in the MyHappyMinds programme, which teaches children how their brains work and how to build a positive mindset
  • We are passionate about creating a school environment where every child feels safe, supported, and heard: today and every day.

Thank you to all staff, children and families for helping us make World Mental Health Day such a meaningful and positive experience.

Together, we are building a future where every child knows they are never alone.