It is well documented that a good wellbeing offering in schools improves student motivation, attainment and productivity, creates more well-rounded individuals, and reduces the need for disciplinary intervention.
Unlike preparing students for a shorter-term goal like their next assessment, providing students with education and facilities linked to wellbeing and mental health helps foster individuals who benefit from improved health, creativity, work prospects, happiness, and better relationships with others.
At QE, good mental health and wellbeing for our whole community is the norm, at every level. Staff have a thorough understanding of the holistic support needed which means our students get the very best support. One of our goals was for our students to take as much ownership of their own mental health, as well as that of their peers, as opposed to it being a subject ticked off by student welfare, and by the staff who support them in school.
By introducing a team of Student Welfare Ambassadors, who support various departments through promoting mental wellbeing on a Collegiate wide basis, particularly amongst peers, we were able to empower our students in feeling confident to discuss mental health. Our ambassadors work to raise awareness of good mental, physical and social health, and the benefits of these. So far, they have worked with staff to help devise and implement a Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy across the Collegiate, as well as planning a YouTube channel and other ideas to support student welfare.
This has created a very positive link between staff and students, as well as students feeling that mental health can be talked about openly in our community.
We also focus on the five ways to wellbeing and offer a student-driven set of sessions that focus on the promotion and development of positive mental health. Students can be referred to sessions or can drop in as and when they are needed. It is a flexible system that is reviewed regularly and offers initiatives such as peer mentor support, ‘woodland and wildlife’, dealing with stress, emotion management and ‘tea and talk’. Sessions are designed to develop relationships built on trust, enabling collaboration, cooperation and a positive learning environment that ultimately empowers all at QE to thrive.
