Wellbeing at Orchard

🌿 Wellbeing at Orchard

At Orchard, wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do. We are deeply committed to supporting the mental health and emotional wellbeing of our whole school community- our children, families, and staff. Just like physical health, emotional wellbeing is vital to living happy, healthy lives.

We support children’s wellbeing in lots of ways, through PSHE and PE lessons, gentle routines, and a nurturing school environment. But we also understand that sometimes, children may need a little extra help to manage big feelings or difficult experiences.

💛 ELSA Support at Orchard

We’re proud to have two trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) here at Orchard Mrs Burton and Miss Bolton. They work closely with children who may be finding things emotionally difficult, offering them a calm, safe space to talk, reflect, and build resilience.

If a class teacher notices a change in a child’s behaviour or wellbeing, they may suggest ELSA support to help the child manage their feelings in a gentle and supportive way.

🐝What is ELSA Intervention? - Elsa Support

🧠 Mental Health Support Team (MHST)

Sometimes, as parents or carers, you might notice changes in your child at home that aren’t as visible at school perhaps they seem more anxious, low in mood, having trouble sleeping, or struggling with their emotions. Please know that you're not alone, and support is available.

At Orchard, we work closely with the Nottinghamshire CAMHS Mental Health Support Team (MHST). This team is specially trained to help children and families with early support for emotional wellbeing. They’re kind, understanding, and here to help with concerns such as:

Feeling anxious or low
Big emotions that are hard to manage
Trouble sleeping
Worries about school, friends, or changes at home

The support they offer might include:

One-to-one or small group sessions for your child
Friendly, practical support for you as a parent or carer
Advice and guidance for school staff to help us support your child too

You can self-refer to the MHST, or we can do this together at school if you’d prefer. Whatever feels easiest for you.

👉 Click here to learn more about how the MHST can help

If you’re unsure whether your child might benefit, please come and speak to Mrs Johns or Miss Jacks. We’re always here to talk things through and support you in the next steps.

📚 Local and National Support Links

Here are some trusted resources to support families with a range of mental wellbeing topics:

📝 CAMHS Self‑Referral – Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS (SPA call 0115 854 2299 or email SPAReferrals@nottshc.nhs.uk) en.wikipedia.org+8nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk+8healthforkids.co.uk+8
💬 NottAlone – A local gateway for young people (<25) and parents, offering advice, tools and signposting notts.icb.nhs.uk+2nottinghamshirehealthcare.nhs.uk+2earlyhelpnottingham.org.uk+2
📞 CAMHS Overview & Nottingham City Referral – Call 0115 876 4000 or complete the online form earlyhelpnottingham.org.uk+1asklion.co.uk+1
📞 Childline – Free, confidential 24/7 line (0800 1111)
🌟 Samaritans – Available 24/7 on 116 123
🧸 YoungMinds – Parent Support – Practical tools and emotional support

✅ Next Steps

If you're concerned about your child, here’s what you can do:

Drop by and speak to Mrs Johns or Miss Jacks. We can explore ELSA support or discuss MHST and CAMHS pathways.
Self-refer via SPA if you'd like direct MHST involvement.
Access local/national services such as NottAlone, CAMHS, Childline, or Samaritans for ongoing guidance and care.

Got a question? Contact us today!