£20,000 grant towards pupils' wellbeing

The grant, which came from a collaboration between the county’s two clinical commissioning groups and Herts County Council. coincides with the county’sFeeling Good Week campaign, which starts on Monday (February 8).

Pupils at Micklem Primary School in Hemel Hempstead will be learning how to build their confidence and self-esteem thanks to their slice of the campaign’s funding.

The school, in Boxted Road, is using its £360 to pay for a taster day with the Karma Kids initiative, which will teach pupils all about positive emotional wellbeing and how to release stress and anxiety.

They then plan a six-week programme for pupils who would benefit from more support.

Deputy headteacher Allan Maher said: “Every child in the school will be offered a short taster session where they will learn about the importance of having positive emotional well-being and develop some strategies for maintaining this.

“The ideas broached in the session will then be followed up by teachers in class and further developed, linking with protective behaviour ideas.”

Feeling Good Week is a Hertfordshire-wide event that sees schools and the wider community promoting young people’s emotional wellbeing, raising awareness of mental health and where to access support with the school community.

Groups from across the county applied for a grant towards a Feeling Good Week event, ranging from primary schools to children’s centres, school councils to youth organisations.

A group of young people then reviewed the applications, which were submitted through Healthwatch Hertfordshire, and judged which should be funded.