Subject Lead: Miss C Brumby
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Mental Health Awareness Day
On Monday 12th October 2026 we celebrated World Mental Health Day. World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health. It’s also a chance to talk about mental health and how we need to look after it.
To celebrate this day and encourage positive mental health for all, every class had an activity planned in class on this day to promote positive mental health.
We also asked pupils to wear one item of something yellow to raise awareness about children’s mental health.
Reception
We discussed the reasons for wearing yellow and the children showed good understanding that this was for Mental Health Awareness Day. We spoke about being kind and what this looks like at school. For example, playing with others, checking in on friends and asking if they are ok, and using our kind words at all times when playing and sharing with our friends. We created a class mind map of our ideas.
We then played a game called ‘Honey Bear’. The children had to take it in turns with being the bear and the bee. They had to take the bears honey and the bear had to locate it by listening for the instrument sound. After we played the game a few times we discussed why it was ok to take the honey from the bear during the game. This was because it was part of the game. We linked this with taking things from friends when not playing with them and compared why one was ok and one wasn’t. The children showed good understanding of this and like every day at school, Reception had an exceptionally kind day.
Year 1
Year 1 spent the morning thinking about how we can ‘Find our Calm’. We went outside and spent some time noticing our surroundings using the information below.
Year 2
For PSHE and World Mental Health Day, Year 2 looked at Resilience and the power of ‘Yet’.
We talked about what resilience is and four strategies we could do if we are finding something difficult including:
- staying calm and doing 5 finger breathing
- trying again in a different way
- asking for help
- remember all the things we have already learnt.
We then created a shield of resilience where each section had a message to remember when we need to show resilience.
Year 3
For World Mental Health Day, Year 3 were working hard on their Growth Mindsets. They were learning how to retrain their brains to be more positive, resilient and successful.
The class had been thinking about any Fixed Mindset self-talk they tell themselves and changing the negatives to more constructive brain-training statements and affirmations.
This has already had a positive impact in the classroom.
Year 4
As part of World Mental Health Day, Year 4 wore yellow and took part in a ‘How Many Positives?’ activity. They reflected on the positive things in their lives by thinking about what makes them special, the people and things they are grateful for, and the skills and achievements they are proud of.
The activity encouraged them to focus on their strengths, recognise the support they have around them and celebrate all the positive things that contribute to their wellbeing and happiness.
Year 5
Year 5 celebrated World Mental Health Day by creating Mental Health Chaterboxes. They are a great way to help children discuss positive things they can do to improve their mental health.
The categories are Feelings, Talk, Wellbeing and Physical. The children enjoyed making the chatterboxes and then using the questions to discuss in partners and small groups how we can improve our mental health and strategies to support us when we may feel anxious.
Year 6
Year 6 celebrated World Mental Health Day by creating a Recipe for Happiness. Children thought carefully about the things that put a smile on their faces and help them stay positive, adding their favourite ingredients for happiness to their recipes. It was a fun way to encourage conversations about wellbeing and to remind us all of the importance of looking after our mental health.
The children also enjoyed wearing yellow, helping to raise awareness of the importance of positive mental health and wellbeing.
