Mental Health and Wellbeing

At High Well the mental health and wellbeing of our school community is a key priority. We have been developing our support and provision in this area for the past number of years and it plays a large role in our ethos of Preparing for Positive Futures.

We have invested in staffing and whole staff and targetted training in order to support pupil, parent/carer and staff mental health and wellbeing. Training includes:

Mental Fitness (all staff)
Youth Mental Health First Aid (25 staff trained)

Mental Health and Wellbeing also forms part of our curriculum and each class has dedicated curriculum time each week. See below for further details.

In Class Support

Below is a range of different ways that classes address and support mental health and wellbeing on a weekly basis:

Daily check ins at start of the day, after breaks and lunchtimes and at the end of the day to review
Mindfulness, including guided meditation, mindful colouring
Use of the Chimp Paradox to support pupils to regulate themselves
Supported social times
Planned team time/tutor time/assembly time to support remote learners to feel part of their class
Fidget toys and other sensory support
Helping pupils to access news programmes and discuss current affairs to reduce anxiety
Team lunchtime activities to create positive peer interaction
Playing games and using games not only to relax and have fun but also develop essential social skills and support regulation
Zones of Regulation
Class wellbeing checkers for students to express current emotions/feelings (Lego men)
Use of School Breathe programme
‘Feel Good form Time’ watching funny animal videos before check ins with class
Creating a wellbeing booklet so pupils have access to this through the day with a range of activities to support their feelings and mood at that time
Exercise –Daily mile on non-P.E. days. Pupils get the opportunity to talk, walk, get some fresh air and vitamin D
Yoga in PE lessons
'Device free time' is scheduled on each timetable. Prizes for the best use of these 45 minutes reinforcing the idea of using our time to do something to benefit our wellbeing
Time for a brew lesson - pupils asked to join the lesson with a cup of tea/hot chocolate to set the climate for mindfulness work
Reading short stories which link to SEMH- e.g. The Big Bag of Worries
Use of email system in KS4 for pupils to check in and have a chat with staff

Support for parents/carers through daily communication via class charts, phone calls and monthly parent/carer support forum.
Established positive and open relationships with parents/carers
Use of Class Charts to increase communication and for sharing of positive activities

Targeted Support - The Care Team

The Care Team provide planned and unplanned therapeutic support each day to pupils across the school. Unplanned support usually is needed for immediate emotional regulation so pupils are able to return to learning. Planned support can include small group and 1:1 timetabled intervention, focussing on identified needs with clear outcomes. There is a referral process for the Care Team and a multi-agency approach is used, including the school's Future in Minds Primary Practitioner. This ensures that the intervention and support provided to pupils and families is the right support at the right time.

The Care Team:

Julia Addy - Emotional Literacy Support Assistant

Marianne Fernandez - Emotional Literacy Support Assistant

Rob Armitage - Thrive Practitioner & HLTA

Sean Ward - Pupil Mentor and Vocational HLTA

Mark Brown - HLTA & Reflection Lead

Josh Munday - Restorative Practice

Parent/Carer Mental Health & Wellbeing

High Well has always prided itself on providing high quality and timely support for parents/carers. We use a multi-agency approach and are part of Wakefield Council's Team Around the School model. We understand the importance of good mental health and wellbeing in families and how this can impact positively on our pupils and their learning in school. We are able to offer families 1:1 support as well as support with multi-agency meetings/appointments and make referrals where appropriate.

Sandra Shaw is the school's Parent Support Adviser (PSA) and Safeguarding Officer. Sandra is highly experienced in working with families of children and young people with social, emotional and mental health needs, ASD, ADHD and is trained in the following areas:

Mental Fitness
Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
Triple P Level 4
Reducing Parental Conflict
Who's in Charge
Children and Young People Living with Domestic Violence and Abuse
Attachment and Trauma
Level 2 Counselling Concept
Future In Mind CAMH Award
Mental Health First Aid
Suicide Awareness
ASK workshop Assessing for Suicide in Kids

Links to local and national support for Mental Health and Wellbeing:

https://talking.turning-point.co.uk/wakefield

Turning Point

57 Kirkgate

Wakefield

01924 234860

https://www.wellwomenwakefield.org.uk/

Well Women Centre

24 Trinity Church Gate

Wakefield

01924 211114

https://www.together-uk.org/projects/wakefield-advocacy-together-hub

Wakefield Advocacy Together Hub

21 King Street Wakefield

01924 361050

www.rethink.org

www.wakefield.gov.uk - mental health and well being

www.nhs.uk/mental/health - NHS every mind matters

Staff Mental Health and Wellbeing

'Taking care of yourself is part of taking care of others'

High Well School believes in a supportive working environment where the wellbeing and mental health of our employees is seriously considered during all decision making, change management and policy updates.

As a school, we have signed up to the Mental Health Charter, achieving silver status, alongside signing the Mindful Employer register. We have invested HR budgets in employee support pathways including:

School Advisory Service who provide Employee Assistance Programme with a range of resources to support your wellbeing which is available to employees and their immediate family members 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Services available to all High Well Staff are detailed on our Wellbeing Share-Point Platform, but in summary they include:

Life Support

Unlimited access to counselling for emotional problems, including menopause, mindfulness, weight management and stress awareness help.

Legal support

Information on any issues that cause anxiety or distress including debt management, accountancy, consumer disputes, property or neighbour legalities.

Bereavement Assistance

Qualified and experienced counsellors who can help with grief and related stress plus a team of legal advisors to help with legal issues.

Medical information

Qualified nurses, doctors and physiotherapists are on hand to offer advice on a range of medical or health related issues. These are available by online, phone or video consultations.

CBT Online

A range of CBT self-help modules, informative factsheets and advice videos from leading qualified counsellors.

In addition to the helpline there are a range of wellbeing resources and webinars available to our employees.

Staff Wellbeing Consultative Forum

As a forward-thinking school, we recognise the importance of wellbeing and this is shared across the whole senior leadership team who take a proactive approach in ensuring workload is managed and employees have a voice in decision-making.

After signing the Mental Health Charter, High Well School established a Staff Well-being Consultative Forum in February 2022. The Forum currently meets every 4-6 weeks with staff representatives from teaching, support and business staff to hear updates on areas of school developments, listen to views about intended changes, introduction of new initiatives, staff activities and policies to name a few. The Forum places a strong focus on discussing areas of the schools' investment in supporting staff well-being and helps guide the next steps in the schools' aspiration to be an employer of choice, and employer who is regionally recognised as an investor in staff well-being and a great place to work.

Whole school wellbeing lead: Sandra Shaw

Staff Well-being Consultative Forum Lead: Michael Davis

Wellbeing Champions and Qualified Mental Health First Aiders: Michael Davis, Mark Brown, Sandra Shaw and Ian Westmoreland.

Wellbeing Contact Numbers

External Service	Contact	Internal support	Contact
24/7 GP Helpline	0845 403 1037	Michael Davis, HR Manager	Mobile: 07825935008
Physiotherapy	01773 814 403	School Wellbeing Champions Michael Davis Mark Brown Ian Westmoreland Sandra Shaw	Telephone: 01924 572100
Counselling	01773 814 402
Nurse and Cancer Support	01773 814 404