Mental Health & Wellbeing
Selby High School is committed to developing a whole school positive mental health and wellbeing ethos that raises awareness, promotes understanding and reduces stigma. Our aim is to promote positive mental health for every member of our school community by ensuring that the wellbeing of our students and staff is at the heart of all that we do.
This policy aims to outline the work of the school in:
- Promoting mental health as part of school life;
- Improving the emotional wellbeing of our staff and students;
- Ensuring mental health problems are identified early and appropriate support provided;
- Offering timely interventions that match the needs of our students and staff;
- Engaging the whole-school community in the importance of mental health awareness;
- Capturing the views of parents, carers and guardians, students and staff on mental health issues.
We aim to help our students to discuss their feelings, build their self-confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their capacity to learn. Teaching students the signs of poor mental health and self-help techniques to support good mental health is key as well as providing support at an early stage in school.
Accessing Help in School
Selby High School is a caring school. If students have any worries or concerns, there are plenty of places to access support:
Student Wellbeing Portal – An area on Ready steady Learn which is dedicated to student wellbeing. Content is uploaded on a regular basis including blogs, video clips, resources & signposting.
Self-help resources – The Counselling Team keep a well-stocked selection of information leaflets on mental health & wellbeing covering a wide range of different topics.
PD Tutor – Personal Development (PD) Tutors will meet with students on most days during period 6. They are the first point of contact when a student needs some additional help. They also know their students well and will often spot the signs of a student needing a little extra support with their wellbeing.
Class teachers - All teachers receive yearly training in social and emotional health. Staff are approachable and will be open to having conversations about mental health & wellbeing. They will also be able to point students in the right direction of appropriate support if they feel that further intervention may be needed.
Year Leader - Year Leaders operate an ‘open-door’ policy and will always be willing to listen to any concerns that a student may have around SEMH & wellbeing. Year Leaders will also conduct daily welfare check-ins when a student is struggling with their wellbeing.
Student Support Mentor - Offering an extra layer of pastoral check-ins for students needing a bit of TLC or extra support. Mrs Moughan is the key staff member supporting our Young Carers in school.
Counselling Team - For students needing more focused support with their social, emotional or mental health. A bookable drop-in service is available before school, after school or at break times. Additionally, the team offers one-to-one & small group work interventions on specific aspects of mental health, and have a wealth of self-help leaflets and resources for students to take away.
Wellbeing in Mind Team - A team of NHS professionals working in school to offer support to students experiencing common emotional wellbeing difficulties.
Student Wellbeing Ambassadors - A team of students who are passionate about promoting wellbeing for students in school and are the driving force behind wellbeing calendar days. Our Student Wellbeing Ambassadors are warm, approachable and good listeners. They will help point students in the direction of support if needed.
Mental Health & Wellbeing: Key Staff in School
Miss G. Smith - Senior Mental Health Lead
Miss S. Langridge - Designated Safeguard Lead
Mrs J. Carter-Mills - Staff Wellbeing Lead
Miss A. Ridley - Lead Thrive Practitioner
Mrs S. Wardell - AP Alternative Provision & YMHFA
Mrs E. Lockhart - SENCO & YMHFA
Mrs A. Moughan - Student Support Mentor
Mrs K. Wood - Counsellor & Safeguarding
Mr J. Williamson - Counsellor & PRB Practitioner
Miss M. Rudd - Counsellor & LGBQT+ Lead
Mrs V. Booth - TMP Leader
Mrs Y. Duffy - Staff Wellbeing Champion
Stella, Therapy dog
We are fortunate to have a therapy dog in school. Stella enjoys working with students and helping to make things feel a little easier if a student is struggling or upset. Stella will be at the Student Entrance each morning to welcome the students as they arrive. She also enjoys listening to students practising their reading skills.
SEND
The support mechanisms that we put in place for SEMH tie in very closely and overlap with our SEND Policy and Positive Relational Behaviour Policy. SEN screening tools, such as Verbo & SNAP assessments are used as part of our support pathways to ensure that underlying, undetected SEND are not the root cause of SEMH issues. Students that do struggle with SEMH, as part of an identified SEN, will have reasonable adjustments put in place to help them overcome any barriers to learning.
LGBTQ+ Support Group
Our LGBTQ+ support in school includes:
- Drop-ins or bookable one-to-one sessions with Miss Rudd (LGBTQ+ Lead member of staff);
- Student Voice mechanisms (open forum) held during PD time;
- Signposting & raising awareness via noticeboards, electronic boards, assemblies (eg. Pride Month), Life Development lessons and a wealth of resources in the LRC;
- The LGBTQ+ Support Group has been running since Sept 2023.
The LGBTQ+ Support Group came about via a Student Voice forum where students felt they needed a safe space to be able to able to seek support, ask questions, share experiences and meet up with other like-minded individuals. This group is open to anyone and everyone is welcome. It takes place:
Week B – Tuesdays period 6 (in room PA3)
Signposting (Help Outside School)
At Selby High School, we aim to provide a range of opportunities for students to seek support from members of staff and from their peers through the Wellbeing Ambassadors. However, we are aware that for some individuals seeking support in school is still difficult.
This page is designed to help everyone find external resources and support to address any concerns that they have. It is not a comprehensive list, but includes organisations and people that we believe can help. If you have any other organisations that you think we have missed please let us know at school and we will provide the additional links.
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Online self-harm support |
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Eating Disorder information: 0808 801 0711 |
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CAMHS Crisis 0800 0516171 |
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Childline
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0800 008 7452 Compass Phoenix aims to improve the mental heath and wellbeing of children and young people aged 5-18 (25 with SEND) in schools across North Yorkshire. Text: 07520 631168 Buzz Us is a text messaging service for young people aged 11-18 who live in North Yorkshire. |
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Drugs information: 0300 123 6600 |
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Healthy minds in North Yorkshire |
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Switchboard LGBTQ+ Support Switchboard is for all. Figuring out your gender expression? Questioning your sexuality? Or is someone you care about facing a challenge? Wherever you fit into the picture, they are here to listen. Acknowledging and celebrating wherever people are on their journey, they will meet you where you are. 0800 0119 100 Email: hello@switchboard.lgbt |
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Information line: 0300 123 3393 Mental Health Charity |
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The Mix |
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NSPCC |
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Offers free courses for parents & teenagers. The passcode is NYFamilies to access these courses for free. |
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Samaritans Call 116 123 for free, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. jo@samaritans.org Emotional support for anyone feeling down, experiencing distress or struggling to cope. |
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Text shout to 85258 |
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Young Minds 020 7089 5050 (general enquiries) 0808 802 5544 (parents helpline, for any adult with concerns about the mental health of a child or young person) National charity committed to improving the mental health of all babies, children and young people. Provides information for both parents and young people. |
Where to access local support
HEALTHY CHILD TEAM: 01609 780780
The 5-19 Healthy Child Service is a progressive universal programme which includes universal services appropriate for all children and young people, and additional services for those with specific needs and risk factors. The 5-19 Healthy Child Service works in community settings to deliver universal and targeted interventions designed to meet public health outcomes and ensure the emotional and physical health and wellbeing of families, children and young people across North Yorkshire are met.The 5-19 Healthy Child Service is the first point of contact for schools when there are concerns about a child’s health and wellbeing. Professionals can refer families to the service by completing the “Referral to Children and Family Service” form or by calling the Customer Resolution Centre single point of contact on 01609 780780. Parents, carers and young people themselves can access the service for support and information by calling the Customer Resolution Centre single point of contact on 01609 780780.
COMPASS PHOENIX: 0800 008 7452
Compass Phoenix is an innovative specialist service that helps young people who are engaged in risk taking behaviour to make sustainable lifestyle changes to improve their long-term health, resilience and emotional wellbeing. Compass Phoenix provides the full range of specialist interventions required by young people who have been screened as having moderate or high levels of need with regard to their substance misuse and/or sexual health.
Compass Phoenix Young people aged from nine to 19 (and up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities) across North Yorkshire affected by substance misuse, poor sexual health and issues relating to emotional wellbeing and mental health, can access free help, advice and practical support at Compass Phoenix. Support usually takes place in school or in a place that suits you.
Tel: 01904 661916 Freephone: 0800 008 7452 Email: phoenix@compass-uk.org
Website: North Yorkshire Compass Phoenix
CAMHS
Community child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).Single Point of Access (SPA): 01904 615345. 7 days a week, 10am-10pm
CAMHS CRISIS TEAM
Tel: 0800 051 6171 (24 hours, 7 days a week).
PARENTING AND FAMILY SUPPORT- FAMILY LIVES (FORMERLY PARENTLINE PLUS)
Helpline: 0808 800 2222
familylives.org.uk
Support to anyone parenting a child.
Student Wellbeing Ambassadors
Our Student Wellbeing Ambassadors form a crucial part of our Student Leadership structure in school. The role has evolved over time in response to student feedback and the focus areas for student mental health and wellbeing. The role of a Student Wellbeing Ambassador currently involves:
- Promoting wellbeing for students by organising creative, engaging activities;
- Being the driving force behind national & international wellbeing calendar days;
- Being a kind, friendly & approachable presence around school and in the community, signposting students in the direction of help & support.
We currently have 52 Student Wellbeing Ambassadors across years 8 – 10. Applications are welcome via Ready Steady Learn when the application window opens at Easter. More information will be given in the annual Student Leadership assembly.
Wellbeing Award for Schools
About the Wellbeing Award for Schools
The school has twice successfully achieved the Wellbeing Award for Schools. The aims & objectives of this award set out to test the provision and current systems for Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) against rigorous criteria. This award was developed in partnership between Optimus Education and the National Children’s Bureau. It is a whole school award, which focuses on ensuring that effective practice and provision is in place that promotes the emotional wellbeing and mental health of both staff and students. The award has a focus on changing the long-term culture of a school, and embedding an ethos where mental health is regarded as the responsibility of all. More information about the Wellbeing Award for Schools can be found here: https://www.awardplace.co.uk/award/was
Wellbeing in Mind Team
Find out more about the Wellbeing in Mind Team.
