Support and Wellbeing

We aim to provide the individual support which you need to flourish during your time in the Sixth Form. The support available includes:

· Dedicated Sixth Form pastoral team including a full-time non-teaching member of staff

· Form Time programme with an emphasis on proactive strategies to improve mental health, wellbeing and mutually supportive relationships

· Staff and Peer Mentors

· Wellbeing Coach: Support offered can be either on a 1:1 basis or in small groups, if appropriate. Sessions can cover issues such as anxiety, body image, self-esteem, emotional regulation and alternative coping strategies. They may also just be a time to talk/share/off-load and feel supported.

· 1:1 Counselling sessions on school site: An independent fully trained counsellor works in school several days a week.

· IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) Programmes:  Students aged 17+ can be referred, or self-refer, to various counselling services.

· Multi Agency Referrals: If appropriate, and after discussion, referrals to outside agencies such as Early Help, Children & Young Peoples Mental Health Service and School Nurses can be made to seek further support and advice.

· Therapy Dogs: In the Sixth Form we have regular visits from therapy dogs who provide support and comfort to many students. Please be assured that if you are scared of dogs that they are not off the lead in communal areas, only when in a session.

· If you have positive mental wellbeing you are able to:

• feel relatively confident in yourself and have positive self-esteem
• feel and express a range of emotions
• build and maintain good relationships with others
• feel engaged with the world around you
• live and work productively
• cope with the stresses of daily life
• adapt and manage in times of change and uncertainty