Three years ago, Forest Oak school, of which Amanda is Executive Principal (alongside Merstone School,) developed SMILE, an ethos based approach to promoting positive mental health and well being for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The approach took the NHS 5 Ways to Well Being, and adapted them into child speak, augmenting the key messages with pictures, drawn by a student. The approach was holistic and included all staff members as well as pupils.
Building on the positive outcomes for Forest Oak school, Amanda commissioned a 2 year evidence based trial of SMILE across 10 Primary and Special Schools. Each participating school has found a significant shift in the culture of the school, and that SMILE has enabled them to put the well being of the whole school community at its heart.
We are delighted that Amanda has chosen to launch SMILE for wider use in Education, through the Recovery Curriculum website (see below), as a constructive contribution to the response schools are making to the pandemic.
“There has never been a more crucial time to support our schools and equip our teachers, to build emotional resilience in our children & young people.
The mental health of our children is eroding before our eyes…we need to bring back their SMILE. These are perfect resources for implementing a Recovery Curriculum .”
Professor Barry Carpenter, CBE, PhD.
Professor of Mental Health in Education, Oxford Brookes University. (January 2020)
The title and theme of Amanda’s presentation is:
SMILE: A Well Being Approach… A Route to Recovery
Full post, click here or available via the below link:
https://www.evidenceforlearning.net/learningshared/recoverycurriculum9-amanda-mordey/
Barry Carpenter Education 