
Mental Health & Wellbeing
At Grange Academy we are committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing of our pupils and staff.
We know that our school culture has a positive impact on wellbeing and we all have a role to play in ensuring that ours is a warm, welcoming and supportive school.
We also recognise that everyone experiences challenges at different times in their life, especially in the context of COVID 19, and this can reduce resilience and make us feel more vulnerable.
Any one of us may need additional emotional support occasionally. When this happens we encourage everyone in our school community to reach out to connect with a friend and share concerns.
Our school culture is one that promotes community and social cohesion and we positively promote the idea that everyone in our school community should be able to identify at least one person that they can trust to speak to when times get difficult.
At the start of every year pupils identifies at least one adult in the school community that they can speak to if they need some help.
At Grange Academy we take the view that positive mental health is everybody’s responsibility and that we all have a role to play.
This year we have commenced the Wellbeing Award as well as initiating Let’s Talk – this allows pupils a safe place to discuss issues or concerns with a member of staff or one of our Mental Health Team
Shannon Poulter
Mental Health
First Aider/Maths Lead
email: shannon.poulter@biltt.org
Fiona Blair
Wellbeing
Support/Behaviour Mentor
email: fiona.blair@biltt.org
At Grange We
- Help pupils to recognise and understand their emotions and feelings better – including understanding at a basic level how the brain works
- Support pupils to feel comfortable sharing any concerns or worries
- Actively promote positive relationships and a sense of community as this supports mental health and wellbeing
- Provide opportunities through our curriculum for the development of social skills, teaching children how to form, manage and maintain relationships
- Promote self-esteem and ensure our pupils know that they are talented and unique
- Encourage pupils to be confident and to develop a sense of agency
- Help pupils to develop emotional resilience and to manage setbacks
Our Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to support children’s wellbeing, support EHCP targets, development of relationships and good mental health through a range of lessons and positive experiences including PSE, RSE, Forest School, PE and sports and educational visits/visitors.
Additional Support
From time to time pupils and staff may require different levels of levels of support:
Universal Support – Through our school ethos and our broad and balanced curriculum of activities including those listed above we aim to meet the needs of all our pupils.
Additional support – For those who may have short term needs and those who may have been made vulnerable by life experiences we offer additional support for example special time on a regular basis to talk with a supportive member of staff (This will be discussed with parents and the child).
Targeted support – For those who need more differentiated support, there are specific resources and targeted interventions including e.g. wellbeing groups or personal mentors. Where more specialist support is required the school will sign-post to additional services e.g. the NHS, Borough Counselling service or CAMHs.
Have a look at the photos below that show a range of wellbeing activities, including our Hello Yellow Wellbeing Days:
Grange Academy is a Unicef Gold Rights Respecting School and Gold Artsmark School. Ofsted rated ‘Good’ (May 2022).
Telephone: 01234 407100 – Office Email: grange@biltt.org