Wellbeing
"Pupils of all ages learn how to manage their wellbeing and about healthy relationships." Ofsted 2023
The transition to secondary school coincides with the start of adolescence – Two major life changes. This is not necessarily a recipe for disaster, with the right provision and the right support.
From the very beginning, we have two priorities:
- Looking after our wellbeing
- Being a successful learner
Wellbeing Comes First
Personal development at SHS is rooted in the many opportunities students encounter for individual growth through their daily school experience. Combine this with the support from a comprehensive programme of activities designed to promote their sense of self-worth and belonging.
Click here to learn more about extracurricular opportunities at SHS.
All students participate in a wide range of activities and groups designed to help support and nurture them throughout their time at SHS. The vast majority of students navigate their way through their teenage years in this way, building a range of skills and strategies to help them cope with day to day challenges. Whilst our focus is on building self-reliance and self-regulation, all students are encouraged to seek support when they need that little bit extra.
Underpinning Pastoral Support for all students includes:
- Wellbeing Curriculum
- An E-safety Focus
- Their Tutor
- Their Year Leader
- Online resources
- Yoga & mindfulness
- School Nurse
- Student Services
We are committed to providing a bespoke service when it comes to meeting a young person’s needs, as no two individuals are alike. We have an ever-growing range of provisions students can access at the point of need. We believe by providing the right support as early as we can, we will be able to prevent difficulties escalating and help the young person to thrive. Communication is at the centre of what we do and we encourage parents, friends and individuals to talk to us about the support they might need. This might include:
- Mental Health First Aid
- Peer support groups
- Wellbeing workshops
- Our pastoral dog
- Counselling
- Specialised therapy
- Access to Local Authority Graduated Pathway
SWGfL Whisper
South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) awarded our school the Online Safety Mark in 2011, 2014 and 2017
Sharing things that upset you is not always an easy thing to do. SWGfL Whisper is designed to act as another way you can tell a responsible adult at the school about any issues that you or others might be having. Sometimes that way might be easier than a face to face meeting. This might include:
- You or someone else being bullied
- Something happening online that you don’t feel comfortable with and might need some advice
- If you feel somebody at the school is at risk - either in school or outside of school
- If you have a problem that you need to talk to somebody about
Please don’t use bad language as we may not receive your message: the school systems may filter and block things like swear words and stop your message getting to the Whisper account.
Your personal details are not shared or stored as part of the process, unless you choose to include them. When you make a report, you have the choice of including your personal or contact details or reporting anonymously. The message that the school receives may have your information if you have sent it, and the SWGfL Whisper system will not record or store any information on its servers. Please bear in mind that if you do not give us enough information we cannot act, and if you choose not to include your contact details we will not be able to let you know about any action we have taken.
Click on the button below to report a concern - parents and carers can also report concerns about students using Whisper.
Please note that this is not an emergency contact - if you think someone is in immediate danger you should dial 999
Whilst we hope that the lives of the majority of our students run smoothly, and with few problems outside of those normally experienced by young people in a modern world, this is not always the case. We hope that the links below will prove a valuable resource for both students and parents if needed. Underlined headings are live links to indicated websites.
If you are concerned about your daughter's wellbeing, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we can support you in supporting her.
Kooth is an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop
Information, counselling and understanding for bullied children and their families.
Tel: 0207 378 1446
Alternative Solutions to Running Away.
Tel: 01452541599/08003894992. Website: http://findaservice.healthwatchgloucestershire.co.uk/view/the-astra-project/722
British Pregnancy Advisory Services
Information about unplanned pregnancy and the choices available.
Tel: 08457 304030
A national service working with young people and children with a wide range of issues every year, including family problems, relationships, being a young carer, self-harm, neglect and many more. They aim to give you the skills and confidence needed to reach your full potential. The service is free and confidential.
Tel: 020 8550 8822. Website: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/
A free and confidential service that answers calls from children and young people in Gloucestershire who are in trouble or danger will cover any issue, for example self-harm, neglect, stress, peer pressure, friendship issues.
Freephone: 0800 1111. Website: http://www.childline.org.uk/
TIC+ supports children and young people aged 9-21 and their families with face-to-face and online counselling
Children in Need of Counselling Help
Supports children and young people who are experiencing the distress of family separation. A free service for children aged 8 – 18 years of age who live in the Gloucestershire area.
Tel: 01452 411843
Tel: 01452 415707 Website: https://youthsupportteam.co.uk/
Divorce Aid now helps thousands of people every week. 'Whatever your situation and wherever you are, we hope to provide divorce advice, support and information on any matter concerning you. Website: http://www.divorceaid.co.uk/
Get Connected are here to help you, whatever the problem. We provide a free, confidential helpline that gives you the support and information you need to decide what you want to do next. You might need to be put in touch with somewhere safe to stay for night, need to be referred to an organisation that deals with eating disorders, or you might just want a listening ear. Whatever the problem, they can always help.
Tel: 08088084994. Email: help@getconnected.org.uk. Webchat service open 7pm-10pm everyday just visit website and click Webchat. Website: http://www.getconnected.org.uk/
Advice Line providing help, support and advice. Mon - Thurs 9am - 4pm.
Tel: 01452 891206. Webiste: http://www.edglos.org.uk/
Gay and Lesbian Friend Helpline
Provides Support, information and befriending for gay, lesbian, bisexual people, or anyone uncertain of their sexuality. Mon-Fri 7.30pm-10pm.
Tel: 01452 306800. Website: www.gay-glos.org
Gloucestershire Youth and Community Services
Support, guidance and activity programs for young people aged 14-25 years.
Tel: 01452 426391. Website: http://www.youthandcommunity.org.uk/
…Supporting you to support them.
We also know how hard it can be at times living with and parenting a teenager. So we are here for you as well. Whether you just want help to navigate the latest bit of tech or to know what all the fuss about a new social media platform is, we will learn together.
We host a number of annual awareness sessions for parents to attend, on topics ranging from understanding the world teens live in to responding to exam related anxiety and learning support strategies for different concerns.
Parental involvement in our Mental Health & Wellbeing strategy is really important to us as together we provide the best wraparound care for our young people.
Online Safety forms an important part of our Wellbeing Strategy and we are committed to supporting students and parents as they navigate the online world.
UK Safer Internet Checklist
The UK Safer Internet Centre has compiled a set of checklists that provide tips and guidance on how to use safety and privacy features on a range of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat:
| Snapchat | |
| TikTok | X |
| Netflix | |
| Roblox |
Social Media Guide
We know that young people are the experts when it comes to technology. We also know that, whilst the internet is positive in many ways, it can also have drawbacks. It can be easy to make a mistake, form a negative habit, or find yourself somewhere you didn’t intend. As such, we wanted to create a social media guide written by students, for students.
As part of our online safety strategy, we consulted with students to find out what advice they would give to other young people navigating the online world. You can find this linked HERE.
Reporting
If you are concerned about anything your child sees or receives online, please do not hesitate to contact us. You can do this via phone, email, or the ‘Online Safety’ wellbeing tracker on Class Charts.
In addition to reporting to school, we would also advise you to report your concern through the Report Harmful Content online platform.
