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Mental Health, Wellbeing and Our Listening Service
We support the wellbeing of our students through our curriculum and in our response to concerns.
As a school we pride ourselves in having a supportive atmosphere that works to ensure children are able to flourish now and when they leave Fram. Our school and each individual classroom should be a safe space where students feel supported and understood. We teach in a student-centred way, allowing space for choice and exploration where possible.
All staff undertake training to ensure we are up-to-date with best practice. Several staff are certified Youth Mental Health Champions and we use external services to support our offer in school.
Our Senior Mental Health Lead is Mrs Becky Arnold (Headteacher), our HLTA who overseas provisions is Mrs Chrissie Ryding, our Coordinator of Inclusion is Mrs Kate Poole (Assistant Headteacher and SENDCo) and our Lead Designated Safeguarding Lead is Mr James Edwards (Deputy Headteacher).
Our students have worked hard to create a Mental Health First Aid Kit with Emma Skeet (Artivism) and this can be found here:
Directors of Learning, Form Tutors and our Pastoral Workers know the children in their care well and develop programmes during pastoral time to educate children and be pre-emptive in responses as well as being reactive when issues arise. If you need to contact a member of staff please use their email which can be found on:
We have several specific services to support Wellbeing on offer in the school including The Listening Service, work with the Mental Health Schools Team, School Nurse, Pastoral Workers and Therapy dogs, ‘It’s Good to Be Me’ intervention, ELSA support and ‘Zones of Regulation’ intervention.
We recommend that parents and carers share any concerns or work that is occurring outside of school with us so we can ensure a strong package of support is in place.
External sources of support include:
Anna Freud Centre LGBT+ Project
ChatHealth (justonenorfolk.nhs.uk)
Charlie Waller Trust, mental health charity
YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People | YoungMinds
National Self-Harm Network Videos: Advice for young people regarding self harm/suicidality Self harm: advice for young people
Distractions that can help: Self harm: distractions
Shout is the UK’s first 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. It’s a place to go if you’re struggling to cope and you need immediate help. Text Shout to 85258
YoungMinds Crisis Messenger is a text service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need support, you can text YM to 85258.
Samaritans is a confidential emotional support (24-hour listening service providing emotional support to anyone in crisis. Call 116 123 for free 24/7
First Response is a NHS 24/7 service for people of all ages in Norfolk and Suffolk requiring mental health care, advice and support. Call Freephone 0808 196 3494
MAP helping young people find their way Find Us – Map
Safeguarding is linked to the support that we offer for Mental Health and Wellbeing within school. To find out more about Safeguarding at Fram please see the relevant section of our website:
Useful strategies to try:
20 ways to feel better in 1 hour
FEHS Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy 2020
The Listening Service:
The Listening Service is a service provided by the school. It is led by our Miss Victoria Skinner who is able to listen and support your child in a confidential, relaxed and friendly setting in The Den. This intervention usually is 30 minutes a week for approximately six to twelve weeks. Together with your child, Miss Skinner will explore ways to help them move forward and find strategies for coping when needed. Miss Skinner is there to liaise with students, families and staff to gain an understanding of individual children’s needs. The young person is encouraged to express their feelings and thoughts about their concerns so they can understand themselves, gain awareness about their behaviours, thoughts and feelings and therefore work on and improve ways of coping with family issues, friends and peer/group issues, self-development, anxiety and low mood. We also offer crisis sessions to students who may have experienced a trauma such as a bereavement. Plans are put in place and communicated to all stakeholders to support wellbeing. Through working closely with the safeguarding team Miss Skinner liaises with, and signposts to external agencies including children and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). Before any session, a referral form needs to be completed and returned via main reception, post or email to v.skinner@fehs.set.education
Where appropriate we require consent from you as the child’s parent/carer before Miss Skinner starts working with your child.
Referral Form
Mental Health Schools Team (MHST):
The MHST role within school is to build on the existing whole school approach to mental health, through our work with the school community to promote positive mental health for everybody.
MHST' s have three main functions:
- Providing advice and guidance to school staff or parents/carers;
- Evidence-based interventions for new or emerging mental health difficulties (such as anxiety or low mood);
- Helping young people to access more specialist services.
Our team is in school on a Wednesday and referrals to this service are made by staff in consultation with a range of stakeholders. They work with those young people identified as having mild to moderate mental health concerns.
https://forms.office.com/e/p5H2XCewn0
Mind and Mood Group Sessions FAQs
School Nurse Team:
Just One Norfolk offers a range of services to support young people. ChatHealth is often recommended to young people to use to speak to a medical professional. When required School Nurses will come into school to work with young people. Referrals to this service are made by staff in consultation with a range of stakeholders.
In-School Interventions:
We offer a range of interventions within school to support positive Mental Health and Wellbeing. These are delivered by trained experts and include ELSA, Zones of Regulation, use of therapy dogs and It’s Good to be Me. We have an appointment led system at Fram and follow the assess – plan – do – review cycle. Referrals to these interventions are made by staff in consultation with a range of stakeholders
PSHE Curriculum:
Our PSHE curriculum has a clear focus on wellbeing issues:
PSHE curriculum subject information
In Year 7, students are supported in transition by beginning with the unit ‘Be Positive’ learning how to adapt to change, manage worries and adopt a positive mindset.
In Year 8, students cover an Emotional Wellbeing Unit understanding the difference between every day and overwhelming feelings, the importance of reaching out to our support network, managing anxious feelings and using mindfulness techniques to overcome the stress response. They also cover a unit on Health where they understand the impact of healthy and unhealthy eating behaviours and the importance of sleep for wellbeing.
In Year 9, students cover an Emotional Wellbeing unit where they understand the PERMA Model, a scientific theory of happiness, the importance of positive self-talk and language in framing our emotional health and analysing the impact of social media on positive wellbeing.
In Y10 and Y11, students cover topics such as healthy coping strategies, emotional literacy, how to develop resilience, the science of anxiety and how to overcome it, how to manage stress and the importance of self-regulation regarding drugs and alcohol. There is a strong focus on recognising how the mind and body are inter-dependant, on encouraging our students to talk with a trusted adult about how they feel, no matter how small it may seem to them, and on understanding that even small changes can make a big difference to our emotional wellbeing.
