CORE Mental Health Topics
An evidence-based curriculum that provides teachers with the tools to confidently address a range of sensitive PSHE topics. Explore below the main themes covered and how this will give children proactive mental health strategies to use as they grow and develop:
evidence-based programme
A CURRICULUM THAT BUILDS RESILIENCE AND lIFELONG MENTAL WELLBEING
Transitions, change and Loss
This theme is essential as it helps students navigate the inevitable changes and losses they will experience in life
- Transitions and change
- Group Agreements
- Loss, grief and bereavement
- Climate change, eco-anxiety and sustainability
Sense of belonging, Problem Solving and Resilience
This theme is essential as it helps students feel valued and accepted and allows them to learn skills that will strengthen their mental agility, independence and ability to deal with life’s challenges and setbacks.
- Sense of belonging
- Problem solving
- Bullying and cyber bullying
- Friendships
- Peer Pressure
- Resilience
- Social media and gambling
- Testing in school
- Growth mindset
- Personal safety and first aid
Nature and wellbeing
This theme is essential as nature has been found to be a protective factor for our mental health; utilising the outdoors helps students connect with the natural world to build habits for their future.
- Nature and our mental health
- Project Soothe
- Animals
Wellbeing Strategies
This theme is essential as it provides children with a variety of research-informed strategies so they can look after themselves and support a positive mood and mindset. For example, try this rainbow meditation:
- Mindfulness, relaxation and breathing
- Self-care
- Creativity: art, music, drama
- Laughter
- Mood Journals
- Positive self talk
- Peer massage
- Tapping
Physical Health
This theme is essential as it emphasises how our body and mind are inexplicably linked and how much our physical health impacts our mental health and vice versa.
- Exercise
- Food
- Sleep
- Maslow's needs
- Vagus nerve: mind/body connection
- Puberty, reproduction and personal hygiene
Emotions
This theme is essential as it encourages emotional literacy and regulation in children so that they are able to express their feelings effectively and safely.
- Emotional literacy and regulation
- Loneliness
- Empathy
- Anger and calm
- Disappointment
- Pride
- Love and compassion
- Sadness, fear and nerves
- Why not happiness?
- Gratitude
- Shame and guilt
Mental Health Conditions
It is crucial that children have a basic understanding of a variety of MH conditions and that there is open communication about them.
- Anxiety
- Depression and Suicide
- Body image and dsymorphia
- Disordered eating
- Self-harm
- Phobias
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Psychosis
- Bipolar Disorder
Perfect and Unique
The last theme in CORE MH aims to teach children how perfect and unique they are in an attempt to build a positive self-image and high self-esteem.
- Strengths
- Affirmations
- Power poses and physical intelligence
- Identity
- Self-esteem
- Money matters
