Wellbeing Strategy

As a school we recognise the important role that we play, alongside parents and carers, in nurturing the holistic development of the young people entrusted into our care. We believe that alongside the development of their academic potential, it is also important that our extensive pastoral support provides opportunities for students to grow and develop their own character. Emotional self-care skills, such as resilience, grit and managing anxiety, all need to be nourished to establish a positive mental wellbeing. This, coupled with academic success, are the crucial things we must do to prepare our students for life beyond St Edmund Arrowsmith CHS.

What is Mental Wellbeing?

"Good mental wellbeing does not mean that you never experience feelings or situations that you find difficult, but it does mean that you feel that you have the reslience to cope when times are tougher than usual" Professor Sarah Stewart-Brown

As a school, our aim is to break down the stigma that's sometimes attached to mental health and to raise awareness of such an important area which affects, statistically, 3 people in the average secondary school classroom.

We take our duty in supporting students who suffer with mental health issues seriously, however we believe that it is important that students know there is a clear distinction between having a mental illness and dealing with a difficult or traumatic period in their lives. Certain feelings, such as stress, anxiety or sadness when dealing with a bereavement are completely natural human emotions that we all feel at some stage in our lives. Fostering a culture of "it's ok not to be okay" provides our students with the opportunity to talk openly about their feelings and to learn strategies to help cope with what they are facing.

How do we support a positive wellbeing at SEACHS?

Form Tutors play a significant role in supporting student wellbeing. Typically, students have the same form tutor throughout their time at SEACHS and as they see their form tutor on a daily basis, they are the key person who will provide daily support and words of encouragement.
Directors of Learning are available throughout the day to discuss any worries or concerns that a student has, no matter how small, and work alongside them to seek a resolution.
We have a comprehensive personal development curriculum which provides age appropriate resources to educate our students about: 'what mental health is'; 'what mental health is not' and 'how they can better mange their own mental health and wellbeing'.
Designated 'quiet spaces' are located across the school site, which are accessible to students in case they feel overwhelmed during the school day.
Members of our pastoral support team meet with individual students or, if appropriate, groups of students and share strategies to support them with any issues they may face.
To enhance the provision provided by our pastoral support team, external agencies are invited into school to use their expertise to support our students. We utilise a range of services such as; colour therapy/play therapy/cognitive behaviour therapy/EFT therapy (tapping).
Access to an on-site counsellor who provides swift, timely 1:1 support for any student who may need it.
The school has a very strong link with CAMHS. Our school link-worker is deployed effectively and acts as an additional layer within our earlier intervention and support plan. Half-termly consultations with CAMHS are arranged and these meetings strategically target individual students before they reach crisis.
We participate in national programmes and research in relation to student mental wellbeing. We are very proud to be working alongside the Anna Freud Centre, taking part in the Greater Manchester BeeWell initiative contributing to a study about mental health provision in schools.
Peer mentoring: Our Peer mentoring scheme is run by Y10 students who receive bespoke training in ways that they can support younger students in school that may be struggling. Meetings take place once a week in an informal setting and provide students with another option of someone they can talk to.
Our 'Mind, Body and Soul' Ambassadors are students who actively promote mental health and wellbeing across the school. In addition to delivering assemblies, these students are a key part in our transition programme and visit Y6 pupils in our feeder primary schools to help settle them in what can be seen as an anxious time for many young people.
The 5-NHS wellbeing strands are actively promoted in school throughout the year. Each half-term sees a focus on one of these strands and is well advertised.
Mental Health Awareness Week in May is celebrated in school with a number of activities and inputs taking place throughout the week which include all of our stakeholders.