We Are a myHappymind School: Supporting Wellbeing, Resilience and Confidence at Spark Vale Academy

At Spark Vale Academy, we are proud to be part of the myHappymind family.

myHappymind is a whole-school programme grounded in science and dedicated to building positive mental wellbeing. It helps children understand how their brains work and supports a school culture where pupils can build resilience, confidence and self-esteem.

For our pupils, this is especially important. Many learners at Spark Vale may have experienced barriers to education, anxiety, low confidence, disrupted learning, emotional regulation difficulties or previous negative experiences of school. Our role is to help pupils feel safe, understood and ready to learn.

Being a myHappymind school strengthens our wider commitment to helping every pupil Belong, Grow and Thrive.

Why wellbeing matters at Spark Vale Academy

Wellbeing is not an add-on at Spark Vale Academy. It is part of how we teach, support and understand our pupils.

For many pupils with SEND, emotional wellbeing directly affects learning. A pupil may find it difficult to access English, Maths, Science or the wider curriculum if they feel anxious, overwhelmed, dysregulated, unsafe or unsure of themselves.

This is why we place such a strong emphasis on relationships, routines, emotional safety, communication, regulation and trust. Pupils need to feel that they belong before they can fully engage, grow in confidence and thrive as learners.

myHappymind supports this by giving pupils a shared language for talking about their brains, emotions, strengths, choices and wellbeing.

What pupils will cover through myHappymind

Through myHappymind, pupils will learn about five key areas of wellbeing. These modules help children understand themselves, recognise their strengths, build positive habits, develop relationships and work towards meaningful goals.

Meet Your Brain

In Meet Your Brain, pupils learn about how their brain works and how they can look after it. This helps pupils begin to understand emotions, reactions, regulation and what helps them be at their best.

Growth mindset is also an important part of this module. Pupils are supported to understand that learning takes practice, mistakes are part of growth, and confidence can develop over time.

For pupils with SEND, this can be powerful because it helps them understand feelings and behaviour without shame or blame. It supports self-awareness, self-advocacy and emotional regulation.

Celebrate

In Celebrate, pupils learn about their unique character strengths and how to recognise and celebrate them.

This module is especially valuable for building self-esteem. Many pupils may arrive at Spark Vale with low confidence or a belief that learning is not for them. Helping pupils identify their strengths supports confidence, identity and belonging.

At Spark Vale, we want pupils to understand that they are valued not only for academic progress, but also for kindness, effort, resilience, communication, creativity, independence and personal growth.

Appreciate

In Appreciate, pupils learn about gratitude and why it matters for wellbeing.

Pupils are supported to notice positive moments, recognise what helps them, and develop gratitude as a habit. This can support emotional wellbeing, resilience and a more balanced way of thinking.

For some pupils, this may involve noticing small successes, recognising trusted adults, reflecting on something that went well, or identifying something that helped them feel calm, safe or proud.

Relate

In Relate, pupils learn why positive relationships matter and how to build them.

This module links closely to Spark Vale’s relational and therapeutic approach. Pupils are supported to understand friendships, trusted adults, communication, kindness, listening, respect and repairing relationships when things go wrong.

For pupils with SEND, relationships may need to be taught, modelled and practised explicitly. myHappymind gives pupils helpful language for understanding themselves and others.

Engage

In Engage, pupils learn how to set meaningful goals and how to keep going when things feel challenging.

This module supports resilience, motivation, confidence and self-esteem. Pupils are encouraged to think about what matters to them, what they want to work towards and what strategies can help when something feels difficult.

At Spark Vale, this links closely to our stage-not-age approach. We meet pupils where they are, support them from their individual starting points and help them experience success in small, meaningful steps.

Parent access: continuing myHappymind at home

One of the strengths of myHappymind is that families can continue the learning at home.

Parents and carers can access the myHappymind Parent App / Parent Portal, which provides resources to help families understand and reinforce the same approaches pupils are learning in school. This means that the language of wellbeing, emotional regulation, resilience, gratitude, strengths and positive relationships can be used consistently between home and school.

To access the Parent App / Parent Portal, parents and carers will need the Spark Vale Academy school code. Please ask a member of our pastoral team or a member of the school office team for this code.

Families may also find it helpful to watch the myHappymind Parent App introduction video:

https://myhappymind.lpages.co/myhappymind-parent-app-introduction/

By using the Parent App, families can support pupils to practise positive wellbeing habits at home, talk about emotions, celebrate strengths, build resilience and develop strategies for managing tricky moments.