Wellbeing | Best School Middlesex

Wellbeing

It is widely recognised that a child’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning, as well as their physical and social health and their mental wellbeing in adulthood. The Department for Education recognises that, in order to help their pupils succeed: schools have a role to play in supporting them to be resilient and mentally healthy. We are also a caring employer that seeks to proactively support staff mental health and wellbeing.

“Mental health is a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

(World Health Organization 2014)

At Harlington we recognise the importance of emotional wellbeing. We understand that the wellbeing of our children is affected by the wellbeing of the adults they interact with; therefore it is essential that we help protect and promote the emotional health and wellbeing of each and every member of our school community.

Wellbeing Award for Schools

We are delighted to be a recipient of the Wellbeing Award for Schools. This was developed in partnership with the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) and is intended to help schools prepare and equip themselves to promote emotional wellbeing and positive mental health across the whole-school community

To achieve this vision, NCB advocates the use of a ‘whole-school approach’ where all aspects of the school experience are harnessed to promote the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and staff. It is an approach where emotional wellbeing and mental health is everybody’s business.

About the award

There are eight objectives to achieve within the Wellbeing Award Framework, containing several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set out within each. The award focuses on ensuring effective practice and provision is in place that promotes the emotional wellbeing and mental health of both staff and pupils. Many of these are already in place. The award will enable us to develop these practices where necessary and help us to ensure that wellbeing is imbedded in the long-term culture of our school. It will help us to create an ethos where mental health is regarded as the responsibility of all.

Support

We have a wide range of support available for students in addition to the Year and House Team staff. All students are issued with a Wellbeing and Safeguarding Booklet outlining the support available to them. This includes access to our school counsellor, our careers and independent adviser, the school nurse and outside agencies.

In school we have two teams of staff that offer additional emotional support. The Prayer Ministry, led by Mr Quartey, are a team of staff who are available to students who wish to have emotional, faith-based support. Ms Gibbons leads a team of straight and LGBTQ+ staff who provide ‘Positive Space’ and they are available to discuss and support issues connected to sexual identity.

The WellBeing Zone

We also have a wellbeing zone run by a group of ‘Relate’ – trained wellbeing ambassadors from years 9 upwards and overseen by Mrs Hall and Sixth Form students. The wellbeing zone is open every lunch-time for students who would like to talk through issues that are concerning them.

All students can go to their Form Tutor, Head of Year or HarlingtonAP if they are experiencing friendship issues, and both HarlingtonAP and the Metropolitan Police Safer Schools Officer are available to undertake Restorative Justice programmes.

School Counsellors & Wellbeing Support Staff

The school employs a professional counsellor three days a week. We also have staff in HarlingtonAP who are trained as counsellors and mental health first aiders.

At the beginning of the academic year all students attend a wellbeing assembly and are issued with the booklet published on this page, which gives details of a wide range of school and external support agencies for young people.

If your child is experiencing any difficulties at home, then please let their form tutor know, so that we can support your child in school.

For students who may be experiencing mental health or emotional issues, we employ a school counsellor two days a week. Students can see their Head of Year if they would like to be referred to the school counsellor.

Students who find the size and space of the playground overwhelming can go to the Learning Development Faculty, where a daily homework club and friendship space is open every lunchtime.

We have staff who are trained in first aid and mental health first aid.