Mental health has an impact on attendance, achievements and enjoyment, hence it’s a key area of focus for local schools, learns Charlotte Phillips
Ask children what wellbeing means to them and although some might express it in different ways, a sense of comfort, happiness and good health are likely to be somewhere in the mix.
Children also have mature insights into their state of wellbeing and its importance. When more than half a million were asked by the Children’s Commissioner, the majority – 80% – were positive about their mental health, happiness at home and, notably, education.
As was demonstrated by the school closures during the pandemic experience, education is about far more than attending lessons. The whole experience, from the structure and routines of the school day to understanding how to build and navigate relationships, is hugely important.
Some naysayers, raised in tougher times, see adversity at school as the valuable grit in the oyster; a character-forming life experience that does wonders in armour-plating a child so they’re ready for the challenges of adult life.
Abbey College Cambridge knows that education is about the whole child
Researchers, however, say otherwise. Children who feel valued at school are more likely to grow into happier, more successful adults with stronger friendships, better employment prospects and healthier lifestyles. Indeed, as principal of Framlingham College Louise North reflects, “the last decade has seen a huge shift in our understanding of the significant impact that health and wellbeing have on a person’s ability to flourish in school.”
Academic performance, attendance and the social and emotional aspects of students’ lives are the three main areas that can be affected by poor mental health, says Shahzad Rahman, deputy head pastoral (11-18) at Stephen Perse Cambridge. “Mental health and wellbeing have a huge impact on overall learning outcomes for any student, regardless of their age group. Unless they’re healthy, they’re not in a good position to learn,” he explains.
When it comes to wellbeing, schools can do a lot to help children thrive as well as learn. They should be safe, supportive and welcoming places where children can seek help with the confidence that, when they do, they will find it and be heard.
As schools in our area demonstrate, this translates into making wellbeing an integral part of school life. Never a one-off or tick-box exercise, when done well, wellbeing is a thread that runs through every school activity and involves every member of the school community: parents, staff and pupils.
As Jo Sale, principal at Impington Village and International College (IVC) and director of IB Programmes, Eastern Learning Alliance, explains: “As an International Baccalaureate World School for more than 30 years, at IVC we know education is about the whole child. We believe it’s impossible (and damaging) to see health and wellbeing as separate or an add-on to our job of educating children.
“Understanding and supporting the mental and physical health of our children and our staff is critical to everything we do. Our culture is grounded in relational practice; we prioritise the relationships we form with the children in our care. Nothing is more important to us than that and it is the main way in which we support health and wellbeing.”
Starting strong
While wellbeing and mental health-related activities and events run throughout the whole year, the autumn term – a time of change for every child and especially those starting out at a new school – is a particular focus for initiatives.
Schools plan their induction programmes with care, ensuring that they’re packed full of reassurance as well as valuable information – and often getting the transition process started well before term even begins.
St Faith’s helps new pupils settle
“The start of a new school year is always an exciting time, filled with fresh opportunities and renewed energy,” says Dani Creese, assistant head (pupil welfare) at The Perse. “For many pupils, it marks a chance to reconnect with friends, explore new subjects and embrace the rhythm of school life. However, we also recognise that, for some, this transition can bring feelings of apprehension or uncertainty.”
To help every child feel supported and prepared from day one, the school offers a bespoke approach with additional measures tailored to individual needs. This includes sending timetables through in advance so that pupils can familiarise themselves with new routines and expectations, and arranging pre-term meetings with staff or key adults to ease anxieties and build confidence. Putting buddies in place to ensure there’s a friendly face and peer support, as well as dedicated pastoral time for form groups with their tutors, can also reinforce a sense of belonging and continuity, says the school.
At St Faith’s, director of pastoral care Mike Critchley explains how the school started a big brother and sister programme where year 2 pupils are aided in their transition to year 3 by members of year 7 going into year 8. The older ‘siblings’ teach practical skills, answer questions about school life and become another friend.
Framlingham College, too, ensures that there’s plenty of contact with new pupils well before they start at the school, easing any stress. This is done via “regular communication throughout the summer, videos that introduce families to the house and its personnel, house newsletters and messages of welcome from current pupils,” says Louise North.
In the new term, that emphasis on reassurance continues. At Abbey College Cambridge, students start the new academic year with an extensive introduction to school life both inside and outside the classroom, focusing on six aspects of health: emotional, physical, technological, future, study and global.
“Our new students are excited but anxious in a new environment, so we have a four-day induction programme that addresses all our six strategies,” says principal Ellen Hesse.
Any worries that students may have, from how they will cope with the demands of GCSEs and A-levels to building strong and healthy relationships with their peers and staff, are comprehensively addressed.
“The four days of the orientation programme are based on working in groups, having fun and making sure activities are engaging so they start coming out of their shells and exploring relationships around them,” says Ellen.
Part of the transition process at Stephen Perse Cambridge includes highlighting the role of the school’s counsellors so that pupils know where to go for help. The focus is on building a team around the child. It’s a whole school approach so that if a child experiences difficulties – which might include coping with the increased workload in GCSE years or moving school – the understanding and help is in place. “Most children will go through a wobble at some point,” Shahzad Rahman acknowledges. “It’s about making sure we have a safety net to catch them when they have those wobbles.”
Ongoing support
Throughout the year, our area’s schools and colleges continue to make wellbeing and mental health a priority, embedding them in every aspect of the school culture. Framlingham College’s pastoral care strategy is designed with the rhythm of the academic year in mind, says Louise North. “We understand where the pressure points come for pupils in different year groups, and we adjust our support accordingly.”
The school now provides a timetabled 45-minute wellbeing period, where pupils can choose an activity such as walking, sleeping, playing sport or simply chatting with friends. A particular emphasis is being placed on self-care, which the school says has been highly successful.
Involving parents and carers is an increasingly important part of schools’ wellbeing programmes. Impington Village and International College and Stephen Perse Cambridge are two of those that run events such as workshops and webinars designed to help families navigate aspects of what can be a complex and sometimes challenging area.
Stephen Perse Cambridge arranges pre-term meetings to help new students
There is also a growing emphasis on listening to the pupil voice, from asking for suggestions on wellbeing-focused events to encouraging students to reflect on the learning process. “We are actively engaging in how they are learning and why they are doing something in a particular way,” adds Jo Sale at Impington Village and International College. “It’s something that needs careful planning so it’s not about value judgements but a more positive way of helping pupils to develop and grow.”
And, as Dani Creese at The Perse points out, there is always a balance to be struck between support and challenge. “We aspire to support pupils to develop a sense of meaning, purpose and belonging. This includes exposure to challenges and being pushed outside their comfort zones, while utilising appropriate scaffolding measures to support them.
“It can be easy for adults who see a child struggling to take over in removing the problem, but it’s important that children are encouraged and supported to solve problems or seek support for themselves and build resilience through the process. We adopt this approach with health and wellbeing for our young people and it takes a great deal of care, thought and trust.”
While schools are facing tremendous pressures from every direction – academic, financial and philosophical – they also continue to occupy an increasingly important and influential place in children’s lives, not just while they’re at school but decades after they’ve left. As a result, making the experience as positive and happy as possible has to be worth every single penny they invest.
How to know if your child is struggling
Many children will experience emotional or behavioural problems at some point, and in most cases these will resolve over time, but if you have concerns about your child’s mental health, the NHS lists the following ways to spot if something is wrong:
Framlingham College has a comprehensive pastoral care strategy
- Significant changes in behaviour
- Ongoing difficulty sleeping
- Withdrawing from social situations
- Not wanting to do things they usually like
- Self-harm or neglecting themselves
Find out more at mindedforfamilies.org.uk/young-people/should-i-be-concerned
Local mental health support
8AKP Therapeutic Consultants
8akp.com
Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire Mind
cpslmind.org.uk
Centre 33
centre33.org.uk
Mothering Minds
motheringminds.uk
