Pupils at Newfield Park Primary Academy in Halesowen joined thousands of children across the Black Country in a celebratory sing-along to mark Children’s Mental Health Week, highlighting the importance of wellbeing, friendship and inclusion.
The Dudley Harmony event, organised by Dudley Performing Arts in partnership with Dudley Council Public Health, invited primary schools to take part in a virtual music session celebrating the theme ‘This is My Place’. The campaign encourages children, families and schools to create supportive environments where every child feels safe, heard and able to express themselves.
Children and staff from Newfield Park embraced the opportunity to sing alongside peers from other schools across the region. The session encouraged pupils to express themselves, celebrate friendship, and explore positive habits that support their wellbeing.
With guidance from Dudley Performing Arts, teachers and pupils had been practising four songs focusing on connection, happiness and collaboration in the lead-up to the event. Around 40,000 children from 120 schools took part, making this year’s Harmony project the largest to date.
Principal Steve Payne said: “For Newfield, taking part in events like Harmony is about more than music. It’s about giving our pupils the tools and resources to understand their own wellbeing from an early age.
“Celebrating their voices, helping them feel safe and included, and showing them that their feelings matter lays the foundation for their confidence, learning and growth. These moments help children build resilience, form positive relationships and discover that they have a place where they belong – lessons that stay with them far beyond the classroom.”
Nationally, Children’s Mental Health Week is organised by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. Launched in 2015, the week encourages schools, families and communities to foster inclusive and nurturing environments where children feel safe, seen and heard. Since 1994, Place2Be has offered counselling, mental health support and training in UK schools, helping staff and parents develop the skills to support children’s wellbeing. This commitment is reflected in the experiences that Newfield Park Primary Academy provides for its pupils.
The performance was met with enthusiasm by both pupils and staff, who valued the opportunity to come together as a school community. Experiences like this support children in expressing themselves, building confidence and forming positive relationships, while reinforcing the Academy’s focus on nurturing wellbeing, resilience and inclusion for every pupil.
