Wellbeing
Our School Wellbeing Agreement:
We have worked together, consulting both staff and students to develop a Wellbeing agreement, so we are all working towards the shared goal that all individuals within our setting thrive and flourish. * Please see our agreement at the bottom of this page.
The wellbeing of everyone within our school community is of paramount importance. In order to fulfil our vision and values, we have a variety of approaches to maximise wellbeing, a sense of belonging and ultimately facilitate the effective communication and development of all.
Learner wellbeing
We recognise that, in order for our learners to learn effectively, they must feel safe, calm and happy in order to engage. We do this in a variety of ways. We offer a personalised learning approach, which meets individual needs. This allows the most effective strategies, such as schedules, sensory diets and a total communication approach to be placed around individuals, enabling them to remain regulated and ready to engage in learning.
We are a trauma-informed school and this empathetic, playful and compassionate approach underpins all that we do. We aim to work with our young people to reduce anxieties, help them build and develop relationships with others and feel valued and supported. We use an assessment programme to gain an understanding of how we can support learners in areas of:
- Emotional systems
- Handling stress
- Thinking & concentration
- Confidence & self-esteem
- Interpersonal skills and emotional literacy
The programme enables us to develop activities and supportive strategies within the identified area of need. The assessments are completed with parent/carer input to gain a holistic view of an individual learner.
This sits alongside our PSHE curriculum, which aims to develop learners’ understanding of how to develop and gain independence in looking after their own health, wellbeing and safety.
Staff wellbeing
We have an active wellbeing team. The same empathetic and compassionate approach that underpins the Trauma Informed School ethos, also applies to our staff team, and we aim to ensure that all members of the team and school community feel valued and supported. We want our staff to look forward to coming to work and feel a sense of belonging, and recognise that they are a crucial member of the wider team.
The wellbeing team meet regularly and develop whole school initiatives, theme days, charity fundraising events, as well as weekly communications to staff with nominations and acknowledgements, and thanks to those staff members who all deserve recognition in some way. They regularly consult with the school staff to ensure that our activities and initiatives are engaging and responsive to the needs of all.
The team also facilitate signposting to any support that is available to staff, such as counselling, health initiatives and benefits from being an employee of the Special Partnership Trust.
Parent wellbeing
We have a Parent Wellbeing Hub which contains advice and support for parents and carers, along with a list of external support. There is also a link to our wellbeing blog which is regularly updated with useful guidance, tips and resources to boost wellbeing and promote positive mental health for everyone.
All parents and carers are warmly invited to our regular Parent Carer Forums, which are online and Coffee Mornings in school. Within these we offer talks and workshops led by external specialist speakers and staff within the school.
The NHS Mental Health Support site provides a variety of mental health resources and support. If you need to talk to someone about your mental wellbeing, you can call the 24/7 NHS mental health telephone support helpline on 0800 038 5300 for advice and triage.
