“Cast all your worries on him because he cares for you”

Peter 5:7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ”
Philippians 4:6-7  

We are incredibly proud to announce that St Anne's RC Primary School has achieved the Silver Mental Health Award! This prestigious recognition highlights our unwavering commitment to promoting mental health and wellbeing for our children, families, and staff.

Our dedicated team has implemented a range of initiatives aimed at fostering a supportive and nurturing environment where everyone feels valued and heard. From mental health awareness workshops to tailored support programmes, we strive to ensure that our school community is equipped with the tools and resources needed to thrive.

This achievement reflects the amazing efforts of our staff, the engagement of our families, and the resilience of our children. Together, we are creating a culture that prioritises mental health, enabling every member of our community to grow together in God's love. Thank you for your continued support as we work towards even greater heights in mental health and wellbeing!

	St Anne’s RC Primary School Award Certificate	[pdf 194KB]
	St Anne’s RC Primary School Verification Report	[pdf 278KB]

The role of the Mental Health Ambassador is an important one. At St Anne’s we prioritise Mental Health and Wellbeing of all our pupils, and our ambassadors help to continue to raise the profile of Mental Health throughout the school. Their main roles and responsibilities are:

• Empowering young people to lead wellbeing initiatives.
• Providing peer-to-peer support to increase wellbeing and resilience.
• Raising awareness of mental health
• Developing effective plans to involve pupils and students in co-production and embedding of whole school approaches.
• Identifying opportunities for appropriate use of pupil or student peer-led wellbeing support.

During the 2025–2026 school year, our Mental Health Ambassadors will continue to develop their skills and confidence as leaders of wellbeing across the school community. They will work closely with our school EMHP, Jane, gaining a deeper understanding of her role and learning how the strategies and knowledge they acquire can be used to support their peers. Ambassadors will remain an important point of contact for students who may benefit from a friendly, understanding listener, continuing their role as Mental Health Buddies.

Throughout the year, the ambassadors will plan and deliver whole-school assemblies to promote and raise awareness of key wellbeing themes. This will include activities for Children’s Mental Health Week, as well as other national awareness days and weeks linked to emotional health, resilience, kindness, and inclusion.

To further promote positive wellbeing across the school, the ambassadors will help run our Wellbeing Tuck Shop during Children’s Mental Health Week, offering wellbeing resources such as fidget toys and creating opportunities for calm, focus, and mindful moments during the school day. We are also excited to continue our tradition of hosting the annual Festival Buffet, bringing the school community together to celebrate and enjoy food, music, and connection.

These opportunities will help ambassadors build leadership skills, strengthen their understanding of mental health, and continue making a positive impact across the school.

This year has been a hugely successful one for mental health and wellbeing at St Anne’s, with our dedicated Mental Health Ambassadors leading the way. They have played a key role in championing initiatives and creating a positive culture of support across the school.

Our ambassadors raised awareness through confidently delivered assemblies during key national campaigns such as Children’s Mental Health Week, Autism Acceptance Week, and Deaf Awareness Week. These assemblies sparked engaging and impactful classroom lessons that helped deepen understanding and promote inclusivity among our pupils.

A highlight of this year has been the introduction of our ‘Friendship System’, where ambassadors wear high-visibility jackets to act as ‘Mental Health Buddies’. This simple but effective initiative has made a big impact on the playground, supporting children in forming friendships, initiating play, and helping those who may find socialising more challenging.

We also held several successful fundraising events, including the Silent Disco, Mental Health Tuck Shop, Autism Acceptance Tuck Shop, and Autism Acceptance Dress Down Days. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our children and their families, we not only met but exceeded our fundraising targets.

With the funds raised, we have been able to introduce ‘Boxes of Calm’ in every classroom—resources designed to help children self-regulate during moments of emotional distress or anxiety. Our success also allowed us to invest in a wide range of outdoor play equipment, including giant dominos, space hoppers, skipping ropes, hoop and loop games, bubble machines, and more, all of which support both wellbeing and social development.

We are also thrilled to share that we have achieved the Silver Award in the Whole School Mental Health Award, a testament to the strong and embedded provision at St Anne’s. This achievement reflects the hard work of Ms Holt and Miss Comer, our Mental Health Leads, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making mental health and wellbeing a central priority in school life.

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our incredible Mental Health Ambassadors for their hard work, commitment, and dedication throughout the year. They have shown true leadership, compassion, and creativity in everything they’ve done—making a real difference to the wellbeing of their peers and helping to foster a more supportive and inclusive school community. We are extremely proud of each and every one of them.

Looking ahead to 2025-26, we will be appointing a new team of Mental Health Ambassadors who will build on this year’s success and help shape the next steps in our continued journey to enhance our mental health provision.

Please download the document below.

We Can Help - Mental Health and Wellbeing

[pdf 1MB]

At St Anne's we have worked very hard in raising the profile of Mental Health and emotional wellbeing. Our designated lead for Mental Health is Mrs Holt and Miss Comer , who supports children and their families and is the link between school and other agencies.

In school we have a dedicated space for children (and adults) to spend time discussing any worries or concerns they may have with a member of staff. There is also a lunchtime drop in session for children at the 'Haven' where they can come and talk, listen or relax.

In both key stages there is a secure worry box for any children who may find it difficult to open up to staff, which is managed by Mrs Holt. Finally, we do the mindful minute every day and we offer pilates clubs throughout the year.

Please click on the picture link to access our School Learning Zone Resources.

ST ANNE'S RC SEND and EHWB RECOMMENDED READING LIST

[pdf 599KB]

At St. Anne's we have a number of staff across the whole school, who took part in an online children's mental health champion training course. This further enhanced their professional understanding of children's mental health and introduced approaches that foster positive wellbeing in schools and communities. Having so many staff with a passion for improving the mental health of all our children, demonstrates the care and compassion of our staff.

Are you feeling lonely, depressed or anxious? If you’re over 16 you don’t need to see a health professional, you can self-refer to NHS Talking Therapies https://hub.gmintegratedcare.org.uk/mental-health/nhs-talking-therapies-for-anxiety-and-depression/

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is hard. You don’t need to deal with your grief alone. Greater Manchester Bereavement Service can help get the right support for you. Find out more: https://greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk

Grief affects us all differently but whatever you’re going through Greater Manchester Bereavement Service is here to help you get the support you need. https://greater-manchester-bereavement-service.org.uk

We know that struggling with your mental health can make you feel isolated and alone, but you’re not alone. Learn how to combat loneliness and how SilverCloud digital mental health programmes can help. https://GM.silvercloudhealth.com/signup

Living Life to the Full

Online courses to help improve low mood, overcome stress, sleep better and build confidence. Materials have been designed to improve feelings and beat stress. Instant access to self-help support is available online and totally free of charge if you live in Greater Manchester. The resources are available in 18 languages. www.gmlifeskills.com

Free digital mental wellbeing support

Join the community and access free, safe and anonymous professional support online. There are no waiting lists for support and no referral needed. Access to these platforms is available instantly 24/7.

Support available includes:  Live chat or messaging with qualified mental health professionals; Self-help tools and activities; Online community

Kooth (for ages 10 to 25)

Qwell (for ages 26+) www.qwell.io/

Shining a Light on Suicide

Whether you’re feeling suicidal, worried someone else is, or have lost someone to suicide, you’re not alone. Whatever you’re going through, we’ll help you get the advice and support you need. www.shiningalightonsuicide.org.uk

Young people and self-harm: Information and advice for young people and their parents and carers

Levels of self-harm continues to rise amongst our young people and though a taboo subject for many, which adds to stigma and feelings of shame, we need to understand and talk about it more if we are going to find a way to support those affected, provide support at the earliest opportunity and reduce the incidence of self-harm.

The difficulty of understanding why someone may hurt themselves and fear of making things worse can stop us engaging with this difficult issue at all.

NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care has produced information resources for young people and their parents and carers which explain why people may self-harm, how to talk about it and strategies to help young people manage their emotions before they reach a crisis, while highlighting sources of help.

Self-harm: A Guide for Young People

Self-Harm: A guide for parents and carers

Help is available and no young person should ever suffer alone.

This is a selection of books which are highly recommended by school to help children with questions around bereavement. These books aim to help children with those difficult feelings which follow when someone they love, dies.

This is a selection of books which are highly recommended by school to help children who may have worries. They help children learn how to get rid of their worries and to feel more like themselves again.

This is a selection of books which are highly recommended by school to help children feel confident to be who they are. They help them learn the messages of acceptance, understanding and confidence and to celebrate their individuality.