We are extremely proud of our award-winning approach to mental health and wellbeing at Bredon. In May 2022, we were the winner of the Boarding School Association’s “Wellbeing and Mental Health Initiative Award”.
The mental health and wellbeing of the whole Bredon School community (pupils, staff and parents) is of paramount importance to us and central to our philosophy of “the journey through education being as important as the destination”, and enjoying that journey along the way!
We aim to:
- Ensure that all members of our community are supported in maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing. Pupils are helped in every way towards building confidence, self belief and resilience that will serve them beyond their school years
- Increase awareness of mental health and reduce stigma. Enable staff and parents to seek self help and provide support for pupils at an early stage when difficulties are identified
- Celebrate differences and diversity, promote acceptance, inclusion and respect one another as unique individuals
We achieve this by:
- Implementing a whole-school approach to positive mental health and wellbeing with our pastoral house system which provides enrichment opportunities and a sense of belonging and identity within the school. The Housemasters of Sharp, Thomas and Jarrett are available to support in any area of school life including wellbeing
- Each body of the school community; staff, students and parents working in collaboration to achieve a culture of positive mental health and wellbeing, with the mechanisms in place to facilitate good communication and planning
- Having a high standard of CPD for staff providing twilight training sessions. We have a vision that all Bredon staff will be mental health first aid trained
- Having a mental health action group who plan, implement and measure initiatives that promote mental health and wellbeing. The group will measure the wellbeing of staff and students annually
- Engage with parents and carers in a meaningful way that educates and empowers parents to promote positive mental health and wellbeing with their children
- By the end of 2022 we will have a peer mentorship programme established, led by our 6th Form and guided by specialist pastoral staff
- In line with a whole school approach having ongoing review of how mental health and wellbeing is integrated across all areas of the curriculum
- Having a robust mental health and wellbeing policy in place as a living document to which all members of the school community can contribute
- Implementing peer supervision within the safeguarding and pastoral teams in order to effectively reflect on our practice
