Healthy Schools: Emotional Health
It is important to promote positive emotional health and well-being to pupils. There are a number of ways in which we help our students understand and express their emotions and build their confidence in what is often a confusing and stressful time:
Pastoral - we encourage form tutors and heads of years to develop good relationships with students. Students are recognised and credited for achievements as they happen and are constructively guided where things may not be so good.
Anti Bullying Policy – we have a zero tolerance to bullying. Please click on this link to download our anti-bullying policy.
School Council
Peer Counsellors - We have trained a number of Y9 students as peer counsellors. There are currently twelve Year 9 Peer Counsellors at Grey Coat, who are available for anyone in the Lower School who would rather talk to a fellow student than an adult. They can be identified by their red badges. Anyone can contact any of the Peer Counsellors at any time, though all Year 7 classes have two Peer Counsellors attached to them who will be particularly connected to their form.
However, anyone from Years 7, 8 or 9 can contact any of the Peer Counsellors. They can talk about school issues, bullying, friendship problems, work problems or private issues. What you tell the Peer Counsellors will be confidential (except in a very few exceptional cases). Peer Counsellors meet once a week with the school counsellor for training and supervision.
Peer Counsellors are on duty in A2 every TUESDAY and FRIDAY lunch times from 1.10pm.
School Counsellors
Learning Mentor - click on the link to find out more about the work of our Learning Mentor.
Further information for parents and students
The following information site may be able to help in advising you on dealing with emotional health issues in young people - it contains information for both parents and students and the Leaflets and Booklets section has downloadable resources.
www.youngminds.org.uk
Reflections Through the Looking Glass
Two students, Jamilah and Hermione have produced a booklet for students who feel they are not coping emotionally. It contains inspirational thoughts, advice and poems which may help. The purpose of the booklet is to aid students in reflecting on things that are going on in their life, causing upset or weighing them down. Some examples taken from the booklet are:
Things to do when you feel unhappy
Take a bath with lots of bubbles;
Listen to your favourite happy CD;
Write about how you are feeling;
Do some exercise;
Spend time with other people;
Cook your favourite meal;
Speak to someone you trust.
Inspirational Thoughts
"When I'm feeling stressed or depressed I get up half an hour earlier and go for a jog".
"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely".
"When I felt like I couldn't cope any longer I turned to my friends for support, I thought they wouldn't understand but they did and they were brilliant".
"There's always light at the end of the tunnel".
"For every person there's a friend".
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind".
"Kind words may be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless".
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