By Isle of Wight Observer
Dover Park Primary School has launched a mental health and well-being initiative, as part of its commitment to the Island’s PEACH (Partnership for Education and Community Health) awarding system.
The launch coincided with World Mental Health Day, when pupils and staff dressed in yellow for a whole-school ‘Hello Yellow Day’, raising money for the charity, YoungMinds.
Children took part in activities designed to build emotional resilience and encourage open conversations about mental health.
Eleanor Baxter, the school’s PSHE lead, said: “Supporting children’s mental health and wellbeing is not an extra; it is fundamental to helping them flourish, both in school and beyond.”
The project has been shaped by feedback from parents, carers, and anonymous pupil surveys, helping the school identify areas where additional support is needed.
Dover Park will now adapt its curriculum, assemblies, and workshops, to help children and families manage emotional well-being.
Working alongside the local mental health support team (MHST), the school has already hosted specialist workshops and plans to introduce regular, termly Wellbeing Days, teaching pupils practical coping strategies.
Headteacher, Jon Kirby, said: “Listening to our pupils and parents has been vital to ensure this project is linked, directly, to the needs of our school community, and ‘Hello Yellow Day’ was a fantastic start to delivering long-term, practical support for our school.”
