The wellbeing and safety of our children is our top priority at Deer Park school. We want children to leave us at the end of Year 6 as resilient, emotionally intelligent and empathetic members of society. Our goal is to equip them with a thorough understanding of their own emotions and a robust tool kit of strategies to employ when times (as they will be) are difficult, sad or stressful. Our children are taught to take responsibility for their own mental, emotional, physical and digital well-being; to understand their rights but also their responsibilities and to think for themselves rather than succumb to peer pressure or external influences. They understand that mistakes and difficulty are part of life, and that our own thinking is what shapes our response and determines our state of mind. At school we celebrate our HEART values and the characteristics within then, as well as recognizing humour, kindness and determination. The children have clear and consistent ways to ask for help and advice when they need it.
At Deer Park, all pupils are supported with their social and emotional development which is woven carefully through both the curriculum and everyday practice. We incorporate many strategies into our whole class practice, such as self-esteem reflection time, movement breaks, emotion coaching, Zones of Regulation (daily self-regulation activities), calming and alerting structured breaks, Time to Talk and our Calm Club.