Wellbeing

Our unique family atmosphere creates a culture where pupils feel valued and respected. They are given opportunities to become increasingly independent and self-disciplined.

Pupils in the Senior School have a dedicated form tutor who provides daily support, encouragement and advice. The mutual respect and trust that is fostered between the form tutors and pupils plays a key role in our pastoral care.

Through our mindfulness programme, pupils are supported with their emotions and are taught strategies to equip them for any challenges they may face.

We are delighted to have received the School Mental Health Award from the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools. We are proud to be the only independent school in the North East who have won this award, which demonstrates our passion for wellbeing and positive mental health. We work strategically to improve the wellness of our pupils, and this award has highlighted many areas of success, as well as helping us to plan for emotional health and wellbeing provision.

Here are a few of our initiatives, which demonstrate our continued commitment to supporting pupils’ emotional development and mental health.

• A School Counsellor comes into school two days a week; this service is provided free of charge to the pupils.
• Appointed staff ‘Wellness Ambassadors’ for pupils in the Senior School to either ‘drop in’ to chat to designated members of staff or they can book an appointment. Sessions may include mindfulness or meditation and work on growth mindset and resilience. It can also simply be an opportunity to ‘offload’ and chat.
• Pupil ‘Wellness Ambassadors’ as we understand that children sometimes find it easier to relate to other children when they have worries or concerns. We have three Year 11 Prefects who have been appointed to this role. Not only are they on hand to chat and support the pupils with any worries they may have, they organise wellbeing activities at lunchtime and set weekly wellbeing goals with the pupils across the school.
• Charlie, a black Labrador, is our official wellness dog. He is a much-loved member of the Red House family. Charlie regularly attends the Junior School and Senior School and participates in a wide variety of activities. School dogs have been proven to help reduce anxiety, develop pupils’ academic confidence, increase their understanding of responsibility, develop empathy and nurturing skills, and provide companionship and a friendly welcome to school.
• Wellbeing Walks are also offered on a lunchtime, weather permitting. This provides pupils with the chance to explore the local area off-site, take in some nature and socialise with friends.
• Developing community links between the Junior and Senior Schools and the wider community. For example, children in Year 8 delivered a mental health assembly on the theme of ‘Hello Yellow’ to the pupils in the Junior School. Our Community Action Group sent a postcard and a chocolate bar to local neighbours to brighten up their day on World Mental Health Day.
• Year 7 Transition Prefects provide enhanced support to pupils during their transition to Senior School life.
• Our new and updated PSHE and RSE schemes of work are delivered in weekly, timetabled lessons where issues such as positive friendships, mental health, managing relationships, discrimination and prejudice, and various forms of abuse are covered in an age-appropriate way.
• Additional training for staff. We have over 55 staff members qualified in ‘Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People’.
• In-person Parent Guides meetings are offered to parents of pupils in Years 6-11. This is an opportunity to come into school, to meet key staff, including the pastoral team, and to find out more about the year ahead in order to support the transition between each year group.
• Educational talks, for example, a police presentation to Years 7-11 on the dangers of online grooming and sexting.