Wellbeing
When children are happy, they thrive socially, emotionally, physically and academically. That is why wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do at Erskine Stewart Melville Junior School. We have a culture of kindness within our community and keep our teacher and pupil ratios small. This means we can take the time to build strong relationships with every child so that we get to know them personally and understand how to support and nurture them as they grow. We are deeply committed to caring for every child in our school, and ensuring they are supported to reach their full potential. While recognising that every student is unique, we aim to develop five core values in every child to help support their personal and academic growth and to nurture confident, kind-hearted children with curiosity about the world around them.
Our Values
Working Together as a Family
We work together as a family with every member of staff in the Nursery and Junior School taking responsibility for the wellbeing of the children in our care. This whole-school approach helps our children to develop vital personal qualities such as resilience, emotional intelligence and self-belief. Within the curriculum, we also have a Learning for Life programme which covers Health & Wellbeing, Religious, Moral and Philosophical Education. This includes teaching the children how to use mindfulness and meditation to regulate their emotions.
Erskine Stewart Melville has been awarded the Gold School Mental Health Award, from the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools. The award recognises the outstanding whole-school approach to emotional health and wellbeing.
We are also a Rights Respecting School. We are committed to promoting and upholding the rights of every child, based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. We educate our students about their rights and empower them to respect and advocate for themselves and others. By embedding these principles into our daily practices, we create a positive and inclusive environment where all students feel valued, safe, and supported in reaching their full potential.
Child Protection Policy
At Erskine Stewart Melville, safeguarding and child protection are at the heart of everything we do. Our comprehensive policy ensures the safety and wellbeing of all children by promoting a culture of vigilance and respect. Staff receive regular training to recognise and respond to signs of abuse or neglect, while clear procedures are in place for reporting concerns. We work closely with parents, carers, and external agencies to create a safe and supportive environment where every child can thrive. Click here to read our Child Protection policy.
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Place2Be Partnership
Recently we entered a new partnership with Place2Be, the leading mental health charity for children and young people. Place2Be will work closely with our school to provide vital emotional and mental health support to our students. Through Place2Be’s expert counselling services, our students will have access to a range of support, helping them to thrive academically and emotionally. We also have a team of Wellbeing Assistants across the School who can offer extra wellbeing support to children at times of need.
Place2Be extend their support to parents. Their Parenting Smart site is for parents and carers of 4-11 year olds, offering practical advice on supporting your child and managing behaviour and offers free practical advice on a range of topics from bullying, to sleep difficulties.
Working With Our Parents
Strong relationships with our parents are a core part of our pastoral care programme. We offer regular parent consultations, and our door is always open for parents who have any worries or questions they would like to discuss. We are proud provide an extensive range of workshops with child development experts, such as Jo Mitchell, Dr Suzanne Zeedyk and Stan Godek, to help give parents additional tools to support their children at home. These include “Mindfulness for Learning”, “Calm Minds for Camp” and “Internet Safety Awareness”.
Thriving In and Out of the Classroom
At Erskine Stewart Melville, we are dedicated to nurturing the emotional and physical wellbeing of every child, ensuring they feel supported, valued, and empowered to thrive both in and out of the classroom.
