Wellbeing
Wellbeing refers to a state of positive mental health and wellness. At Highworth Grammar School, our wellbeing provisions include Prevention, Identification, Early Support and Access to Specialist Support.
Prevention
We encourage our students, staff and community to make time to follow the five steps to Wellbeing. The five areas are embedded through our daily Mentor programme and are supported in our REACH values:
Connect - Talk and listen, be there, feel connected
Be Active - Do what you can, enjoy what you do, move your mood
Take Notice - Remember the simple things that give you joy
Keep Learning - Embrace new experiences, see opportunities, surprise yourself
Give - Your time, your words, your presence.
We want everyone at Highworth to maintain a sense of optimism, confidence, happiness, achievement, have supportive and satisfying relationships with others, a sense of understanding oneself and resilience whilst responding to one’s own emotions.
Identification
Staff CPD prioritises time to educate all staff in developing a shared understanding of how to maintain positive wellbeing and how to identify and support students and colleagues who may be struggling.
Regular wellbeing surveys provide an overview of the students and staff and highlights key areas for targeted support.
Place2Think is a service which is available for staff to discuss concerns and issues with emotional wellbeing.
Early Support
Each student is placed into a Community with a designated Student Support Manager (SSM). The role of the SSM is to provide support to students and signpost to further specialist support if needed.
Highworth is proud to be a Place2Be School. Place2Be’s professionals work with young people one-to-one or in small groups, giving regular support for students who need it.
Young people can self-refer and also book an appointment to talk about any problems or worries they have – this is called Place2Talk. Students can request an appointment by dropping a session request slip (from the blue trays near the Attendance and Cover office) through the post-box of C134 and looking out for an email response or using the email address: place2beappointments@highworth.kent.sch.uk.
Access to Specialist Support
Sometimes young people can feel particularly anxious, low, confused or angry. Maybe something difficult happened at home, like losing a family member or parents separating. Or perhaps they’re struggling with something at school, like exam stress and feelings of anxiety. This can make them behave differently, lose confidence in themselves or find it difficult to concentrate in class. Place2Be is there to help young people find ways to cope, so their worries don’t get in the way of their friendships, their learning or how they feel about themselves.
Referrals for counselling support are usually made through a member of staff, for example a student’s Mentor or Student Support Manager (SSM).
Highworth is also proud to work with the NELFT NHS Emotional Wellbeing Team. Highworth welcomes the opportunity to host Trainee Emotional Wellbeing Practitioners (EWPs).
How Does My Child Access This Support?
For the types of support being offered by the EWPs, it has been found that when young people request this support for themselves it is most effective. Therefore, we have a ‘request for support’ process whereby young people themselves complete a brief form and tick which type of support they would like to receive.
Highworth has also formed a partnership with We Are With You who run a Mind and Body programme which works with students in small groups who following a survey are identified as vulnerable to risky behaviours.
Wellbeing Prefects
The Wellbeing Prefects for 2024-25 are Katie and Iona.
Wellbeing Ambassadors
The following students are part of the Student Wellbeing Ambassador Programme. The team of SWAPs have regular meetings to plan and deliver wellbeing activities and initiatives across the school.
Isla 9VM
Lily 9VM
Niamh 9VM
Poppy 9VM
Livvia in 10KK is the Ambassador for the Wellbeing Action Group
Highworth Wellbeing Newsletters
Please click here for issue 1.
Links to Useful Websites
This website draws together a range of support links on attendance, mental health, bullying, SEND, children in care and carers: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/back-into-school/resources-for-families/
https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/