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St Marys Primary School, Killyclogher
Year 7 Cake Sale Thursday 5th February (Pupils only) [Open Image] | 'Ditch the Dark' Day! Pupils, staff and parents are invited to wear bright colours to school on Friday 6th February 2026 on our 'Ditch the Dark' Day!  
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Emotional Health and Wellbeing in St. Mary's

Our school promotes emotional health and wellbeing to strengthen self-esteem and resilience in our children. For those who need further help the focus is on knowing when, where and how to refer to external services. The approach is outlined below in the model of support we strive to provide:

 

St. Mary's work with 'Action Mental Health'

All children in St. Mary's accessed in-class programmes from Action Mental Health in 2025.
 

In 2025, our younger pupils took part in the 'Little Healthy Me' Programme delivered by Action for Mental Health

'Little Healthy Me', for ages 4-7, is a vibrant, engaging trauma-informed mental health promotion programme. It explores emotional/mental health, healthy lifestyle choices and pathways to effective support through imaginative and interactive play and song.
'Little Healthy Me', for ages 4-7, is a vibrant, engaging trauma-informed mental health promotion programme. It explores emotional/mental health, healthy lifestyle choices and pathways to effective support through imaginative and interactive play and song.
 

Other places to find support

✔️ Youth Wellness Web 

Co-designed by young people for young people for easy access to different resources and services.


✔️ FamilySupportNI

Family support and childcare services across Northern Ireland.

✔️ Bereaved NI

Resources for people who are experiencing bereavement and support for each stage of the bereavement journey. 

✔️ Minding Your Head

Information on a variety of topics, including school/education and links to the PHA Directory of Services.

✔️ Helplines NI

30 different helplines across Northern Ireland, providing a variety of support services including, information, advice, counselling, a listening ear and offering immediate support to those with a wide-range of health and wellbeing needs.

✔️ Community Wellbeing Hub NI 

For anyone who wants to improve their mental health, wellbeing and day to day life.

How does our curriculum support emotional health and wellbeing?

The Northern Ireland Curriculum aims to empower young people to achieve their potential and to make informed and responsible decisions throughout their lives.

Within the Curriculum, mental health, self-esteem and wellbeing education is included within the age-appropriate aspects of the Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) Area of Learning.

As part of the curriculum, pupils are provided with opportunities to develop an understanding of how to maximise and sustain their mental health, self-esteem and wellbeing, including managing emotions and reactions to ongoing life experiences and enhancing self-awareness and developing coping strategies. This extends to physical health and wider issues and topics that may impact on a child’s overall health.

St. Mary's is a PATHS® school

In St. Mary's, we use the PATHS® Programme to develop fundamental social and emotional learning skills which will enable children to make positive choices throughout life. 

There are four major factors that are addressed by focusing on:

✔️ self-control

✔️ emotional understanding

✔️ problem-solving skills

✔️ creative self-expression

Read more PATHS in our school: PATHS Programme

Read about how alternative thinking strategies are promoted through the PATHS® Childhood Development Programme.