Mental Health

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Supporting Positive Mental Health in School

Highfields School is committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of all of its students. Highfields School has a dedicated Family Support Team to address, and support, the needs of our most vulnerable students and families, in conjunction with the school’s Pastoral Care Team. The Family Support Team does not replace Social Care or clinical mental health support.

There are many agencies and organisations who we can turn to when we are struggling. It is also important that we look to ourselves and our own lifestyles to see if we can make any changes which would improve our mental health. Our sleep patterns, food and drink consumption, and exercise can all have an impact on our mental health.

To encourage and support our school community in developing and maintaining positive emotional health, we have compiled a directory of organisations and advice on self-help. We hope that this will help our students, parents, carers and staff in taking a proactive approach to taking good care of their wellbeing. The range of links and resources outlined at the bottom of this page are by no means exhaustive.

Emergency Contacts

If you feel that a child or young person is at risk of harm then please call Starting Point on 01629533190.

If you feel that you, or a child, are in immediate danger then please call Emergency Services on 999

If you would like to contact the police local to where you live to report a non-emergency then please call 101.

If you have an urgent medical need and you are not sure what to do then please call 111 for advice.

What all Students Receive

• PSHE lessons in year 7 to 10 (year 11 from 23rd September) which cover wellbeing and positive mental health.
• A wellbeing questionnaire three times a year.
• A KOOTH account which will be set up during PSHE lessons.
• Access to the school nurse through Chat Health.
• Form time discussions in SMSC.
• Safeguarding assemblies signposting support such as Childline and Samaritans.
• Wellbeing teaching in PE lessons (Head, Heart, Hands)
• LGBTQ+ club.
• Access to support from the 6th form Mental Health Ambassadors.

Targeted Support within School

• Targeted Changing Lives sessions – last academic year current year 9’s did work around transition supported by Derby Football Club.
• Since September, we’ve had a targeted year 7 and 8 session around worry and a year 13 session around exam stress.
• Check-ins by the pastoral team.
• Mentoring from Mr Briddon, our Inclusion Manager.
• 6th Formers trained Mental Health Ambassadors (Trained in CBT)
• Youth Sport Trust targeted groups led by PE staff. Year 7 and 9 ORTUS, Year 6 to 8 Active in Mind, Year 7 and 8 Boys Move, Year 7 to 13 This Girl Can, Year 9 to 11 Health Ambassadors.
• Wellbeing groups led by our Family Support Workers.
• Shine project for years 7 and 8.
• Year 7 and 8 Tough Enough to Care sports sessions led by wrestling coach starting June 2023.

External Support

This section includes referrals made by professionals such as GP’s, social workers or school pastoral staff. School will only know about this support if parents/carers give consent for education to be informed. These session can take place in school, a hospital or another specialist setting.

• One-to-one support from one of our family support workers.
• Support including family therapy from Changing Lives Compass who work with students with low to medium level mental health concerns such as anxiety or low mood.
• CAHMS support including family therapy for high level needs such as depression and eating disorders. CAHMS also has an Intensive Treatment team.
• One-to-one support from the school nurse.
• SV2 (Counselling around sexual violence)
• Space4U – support for students who have a family member who is an addict.
• Crossroads / Elm Foundation who work around domestic violence and controlling behaviours.
• Referral to bereavement services such as Cruse.
• Action for Children or Stop It Now support around worrying sexual behaviours.

Further Support