A head teacher has come up with a mobile solution to help children struggling with their mental health since coming back to school after the pandemic.

To assist his students, Matt Paterson, of Shears Green Junior School, in Northfleet, is looking to transform a double decker bus into a new well-being centre.

He said: “Since Covid, we have had a large increase in the number of our pupils who suffer from social, emotional and mental health problems.

“I think there has been a pandemic after a pandemic. I do not think we realised the impact or begun to understand the impact it had on children.

“We are now seeing that impact. There is a lot more needs that we maybe do not usually see.”

Mr Paterson said a lot of students are still catching up with their learning and some are working at a lower level than their age.

He also said teachers are identifying more pupils that need help with anger management, anxiety and other well-being needs.

“It is about supporting the children,” the head teacher added. “People are struggling and there are a lot of people with different needs.

“We have also got families in crisis with the cost of living. These kids are really struggling and I want to do all I can to help them.

“If I need to have a double decker bus to do that then I will. We have got to put a smile on their face.

“It is about creating a safe space. If their well-being needs are being met first then they are in a place to learn.

“We need to focus on addressing these so we can give them the best opportunities to become the best person they can be. Primary school needs to be the place to do that.

“There is so much need. It will make such a difference to the children to have this space.”

The school, in White Avenue, has a small room with three learning mentors who are skilled to provide a number of different interventions such as Lego therapy, yoga, talking and drawing activities.

It is also signed up for the Thrive program which aims to help young people become more emotionally resilient so they are in a better place to learn.

The school also has chickens, dogs and is hoping to get guinea pigs as part of its schemes to help with student’s mental health.

Yet Mr Paterson said the primary does not have enough space to be able to accommodate for all the children in need of help or to run the larger group activities.

“Hence why we need the bus,” he added. “As well as making space for the groups, we want to have a multi-sensory area for children who need to have time out of class to re-regulate.”

The bus was donated by Arriva to Shears Green and is now sat on the side of the playground waiting to be transformed into the well-being hub.

The seats need to be ripped out, flooring, air conditioning and heating, electrics and lighting also needs to be installed.

And to do this, Mr Paterson is suggesting to run a Challenge Anneka style project and is asking the local community to help.

He said: “School budgets are tight. We do not have the resources to do it.

“We need people to come in and provide things. I hate asking for anything but there is a lot of people out there that will be able to help.

“It is a really good start to make it a community project. We need to crack on with it to get it up and running.

“Having the support of local businesses as we had Arriva and Dynes would make such a difference to the children of this school who are crying out for the extra space and opportunity to have their well-being needs met.”

If you think you could help with the project contact Mr Paterson at headteacher@shearsgreen-jun.kent.sch.uk.