SMILE is an approach that was developed at Forest Oak School to support the emotional health and wellbeing of the whole school community. It is based on the NHS 5 ways to wellbeing. Here at Kingsbury we have adapted it slightly to suit our community.  

The principles of the approach are simple.... 

1. Building emotional resilience for all - children, staff and the whole school community  

2. Promoting good mental health that leads to good outcomes  

3. Listening to other people  

4. Care, concern and respect everyone  

5. Kindness and gratitude 

The 5 steps have been developed to suit our community by adapting the NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing, These are proven to support individuals' wellbeing. What we do to practice each step may be different for all of us; we all enjoy and respond to different activities. 

Socialise, Move, Interest, Learn, Engage 

Just like at Forest Oak, we are working together using the SMILE approach to develop individual positive coping strategies, build resilience and have fun! Some of the activities and interventions we use to extend the SMILE approach are:  

• Daily mindfulness in class – Go Noodle, Yoga available on YouTube or School Yoga – it is evidence based. 
• Daily 'move' exercise in classes – walk a mile, cycling  
• Daily group 'check ins' in classes 
• Teaching emotional literacy and sleep hygiene  
• Pet therapy 

•  Anger or self-management support sessions 
• Breathing techniques 
• Individual or group play, creative arts & Music therapy 
• Meditation & massage 
• Staff wellbeing Bingo and exercise challenges 

• Wellbeing days and arts weeks 
• Teaching  emotional literacy 
• Teaching self-regulation strategies - breathing, going to the Safe Space, etc.