The Well-being Award
Well-being is a priority across the Leicester Grammar School Trust and in 2020 we made a commitment to work towards achieving a nationally recognised Well-being Award for Schools. As a Trust we are committed to promoting and protecting emotional well-being and mental health, as evidenced in our Mental Health and Well-being Strategy. We successfully achieved The Well-being Award for Schools in February 2022.
Leicester Grammar School and Leicester Grammar Junior School Strategy for Mental Health and Well-being
The main aim of this strategy is to improve the mental health and well-being of all children, staff and parents in our school community. This strategy is aligned with our Trust vision to ensure the provision of outstanding education for every child. The Trust aims to empower staff and parents to raise aspirations for all children and to nurture their ambitions for future success, as highlighted in our mission statement and school aims:
The Leicester Grammar School Trust seeks to be an inspiring centre for co-educational excellence in academic and personal development, within a Christian ethos.
In order to fulfil this mission, the school aims which specifically support mental health and well-being are to:
- Provide a broad, balanced and stimulating curriculum.
- Offer a rich range of co-curricular opportunities which enhance pupils' physical, cultural and personal development.
- Equip pupils with the self-belief, consideration and skills required for a principled and fulfilling life.
- Create a happy and mutually-supportive community of learners and staff, in which each individual is encouraged and enabled to do and be their best.
- Care for the mental and emotional well-being of pupils, and be proactive in the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
- Welcome pupils of diverse backgrounds and faiths, nurturing their social and spiritual development.
- Foster a generous contribution to charity, community service and society.
These aims are underpinned by the school values (as chosen by pupils and staff):
- Respect: for self, others and our environment; kindness, courtesy, humility, tolerance, care, encouragement
- Trust: honesty, integrity, responsibility, self-discipline
- Courage: determination, resilience, perseverance, commitment, enthusiasm, self-belief, challenge
- Curiosity: independence, initiative, creativity, spark, self-awareness, scholarship
- Community: equality, service, empathy, compassion, collaboration, inclusiveness, selflessness
We believe everyone within the school community has the responsibility to promote positive mental health, to recognise and understand the risk factors surrounding mental health and well-being and to develop the protective characters which build resilience to mental health and well-being difficulties.
We place well-being at the heart of our school and recognise that mental health and well-being has the same importance as physical health and that there is an impact upon the ability of pupils to learn and achieve. By working together, we can build an environment where the whole school community; staff, parents and pupils, can thrive.
What are we going to do?
In line with our mission statement and school aims, we seek to educate and develop the whole pupil; challenging, stimulating and supporting throughout their personal and academic journey. Our approach to mental health and well-being is integral to this.
Aims and objectives
- To develop a mental health and well-being ethos and curriculum throughout the school community
- To embed and support well-being through our PSHE curriculums; Jigsaw and Life Education which includes Mindfulness
- At the junior school to create a culture that helps build children’s resilience, confidence and self-esteem through the myHappymind scheme
- To monitor pupil well-being, both formally and informally
- To provide specialised intervention and support where higher needs are identified
- To address misconceptions and stigmas associated with mental health and wellbeing
- To ensure appropriate training and support is in place for staff mental health and wellbeing
- To ensure effective communication is in place between all stakeholders when considering mental health and wellbeing
How will we achieve this?
Identification
- Whole school surveys and questionnaires, including well-being scores, Three Houses pupil questionnaires
- By developing a culture of listening, providing opportunities for pupils to meet with pastoral staff throughout the day
- Parent, teacher, peer and self-identification of needs
- Boxall profiling
- Mental health triage analysis
Curriculum
- Annual review of Jigsaw/Life Education curriculum to ensure that all relevant topics are comprehensively covered.
- Annual review of RSE curriculum
- This will be enhanced by relevant form time discussions, including myHappymind
- Forest School
- Relax Kids
- A well-being carousel for Years 2 and 4 to support positive mental health
Pastoral Managers
- Well-being leads and a well-being manager lead the pastoral team
- Counselling service provided by RELATE
- School Nurses
- More intensive one to one support where needed
- Close work with external agencies to ensure most appropriate support is in place
- EHCP TA support
- Employee Assistance Programme to offer support for staff
- Sixth Form Student Support Group to work alongside staff
Academic Leads
- Overall monitoring of academic support.
- Regular age-appropriate celebration and reward assemblies to recognise achievements in supporting well-being/demonstrating resilience.
- Targeted co-ordination of academic support where needed
Enrichment programme
- Extensive Co-curricular and Enrichment programme across both schools to offer opportunities beyond the classroom supporting our community
Pastoral staff training and supervision
- An extensive and experienced pastoral team who undertake targeted training through attendance at specialist training events throughout the year
- School nurses and DSLs participate in regular supervision meetings
Training and support for all stakeholders
- Range of CPD opportunities in place for all staff (eg. Senior Mental Health leads have completed role specific training whilst other staff have completed MHFA training and Place2Be Mental Health training)
- Staff well-being initiatives (eg staff social events, well-being walks, use of recreational facilities, staff lunches)
- Webinars and workshops for parents, informed by parental voice
- Operate an open-door policy for stakeholders to voice their opinions
Pupil voice
- Student council, Sports Leaders, Anti-bullying ambassadors, Playground Pals and prefect team to provide feedback on perceived strengths and needs within school.
- Questionnaires to provide broader view of attitudes to mental health and wellbeing
- Anonymous voice and Worry Monster
- Pupil led assemblies
- Pastoral lunches
- Pupils interview staff members
Communication
- Booklet for LGS students and parents created, including relevant information and advice
- Ongoing development of website wellbeing page
- Availability of relevant literature around school for pupils and in Reception for parents and visitors
- Helpline posters around school, which are regularly reviewed and updated by the pastoral team
- Well-being library which is accessible to staff, pupils and parents
- Newsletter
- Feel Better Newsletter
Whole school engagement
- Mental health and well-being evenings focusing on specific areas as identified by staff and parents.
- Mental health/well-being focus days throughout the year
- Consultation about policy development
Safeguarding
- Key safeguarding topics are identified during pastoral review meetings and addressed through year group or key stage specific or whole school events (eg. mental health focus day) and through visiting speakers and webinars
- PSHE Curriculum (Jigsaw and Life Education) covers safeguarding topics
- Pupils and parents sign a computing acceptable use policy
- Education for a Connected World curriculum reviewed by staff to support pupil well-being
- Raising awareness of protected characteristics amongst staff and pupils
SEN support
- Liaison with Director of Learning Development, the SENCo and other SEN staff to identify and support students social, emotional and mental health needs.
Counselling
- Well-being Manager provides a listening ear which acts as a stepping stone to counselling, LGS pupils are able to self-refer
- RELATE provides one-to-one support for students when referred by a member of the pastoral team
Clubs and societies
- Stressbusting
- Exam stress
- Spectrum (LGBTQ+)
- Inclusion and Diversity
- Yoga
- Lunch Club
- Knitting for mindfulness
- Eco clubs and Wombles
- Morning Mile
- Reading Club
- Plant in Every Classroom Club
- Drawing, Colour and Chat Club
- Snack and Chat Club
- Well-y-being Walks
Library
- Provide a quiet, safe space for students
- Well-being Library
External agency collaboration
- Autism Outreach
- ADHD Solutions
- School Nursing Team
- Eating Disorders team
- CAMHS
- Operation Encompass
- Early Help
- SALT
- OT
- Leicester and Leicestershire Special Educational Needs Service
- RELATE
- SCS (Specialist Children’s Services)
- Clinical and Educational Psychologists and Psychiatrists
- Police Liaison Officer
Rewards and celebrations
- Regular age-appropriate celebration and reward assemblies to recognise achievements in supporting well-being/demonstrating resilience.
- End of year celebration of achievements - awards for resilience, perseverance, achievement and efforts
- LGJS Hot Chocolate Friday to reward pupils who put the school values into practice
