Whole school approach (WSA)
A mentally healthy school or college is one that adopts a whole school/college approach to mental health and wellbeing. This brings the whole school/college together.
It needs partnership working between:
- senior leaders
- teachers and school staff
- parents and carers
- the wider community
This broad approach is more effective than focusing on only one or two parts of school/college life.
Providing healthy and happy school/college environments for children and young people, and staff:
- supports effective learning
- prepares children and young people with their readiness to learn
A whole school/college approach to mental health and wellbeing is a process, not a one-off activity.
The following pages provide resources and information based on the eight key principles of a whole school/college approach.
To audit mental health and inform action plans you can use the:
- School health check
- WSA: Mapping and planning tool [225.1 KB] [xlsx]
Leadership and management
A whole school approach involves a school leadership team that:
- recognises that a child or young person’s emotional health and wellbeing influences their cognitive development and learning
- champions and supports mental health and wellbeing for children and young people, and staff
- supports in a practical way as part of improvement planning
A whole-school/college approach involves all parts of the school, working together to establish and embed a commitment to mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Senior Mental Health Lead (SMHL)
The Transforming Children and Young Peoples’ Mental Health Provision (2017) Green paper recommends that education settings have a Senior Mental Health Lead (SMHL) who focuses on developing and implementing whole school approaches to Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing (MHEW).
It is important that the SMHL has the authority, capacity and support to influence and lead strategic change.
This SMHL will be responsible for leading on developing whole school initiatives but would need the support of other key staff members to ensure a joined-up approach. Key roles to include in developing whole school approaches to MHEW could include but are not limited to:
- PSHE leads
- Mental Health First Aiders, Thrive/Nurture Practitioners, Emotional Literacy Support Advisors
- Senior Leadership Team
- Attendance Officers
- Designated Safeguarding Leads and SENCo’s
A whole school/college approach to mental health and wellbeing is an ongoing process, not a one-off activity.
It is good practice to audit what your school/college is doing to prevent and identify mental health problems early and promote an environment that champions efforts to promote and support mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The Department for Education (DfE) currently have a £1200 grant available for new SMHL’s to access a training programme to understand the role and all eight principles of a whole school approach.
ESCC MHEW Advisors provide this training at a low cost; check the ESCC Learning Portal for dates.
Contact MHEW@eastsussex.gov.uk for support with auditing.
MHEW Policies and Procedures
We recommend developing a school/college mental health policy. The policy should aim to:
- promote positive mental health and wellbeing for all staff and pupils
- increase understanding and awareness of common mental health difficulties
- alert staff to early warning signs of mental health difficulties
- provide support to staff working with pupils with mental health difficulties
- provide support to pupils experiencing mental health difficulties, their peers, parents and carers
- provide appropriate support to parents and carers
The school/college’s mental health policy should also link to policies on behaviour, diversity, safeguarding, anti-bullying and e-safety.
MHEW Governor
We encourage school/colleges to have a MHEW governor with responsibility for oversight and scrutiny of policies, strategic intent, and stakeholder engagement relating to the mental health and wellbeing of staff and children and young people.
To support this role, we provide MHEW Governor training and networking opportunities. If your school/college is using the ESCC Governor services, your governor will be sent the information and dates of events.
- MHEW governors checklist [158.1 KB] [docx]
- The role of the wellbeing link governor - Governors for Schools
Leadership resources
The resources and links below can be used to support a school/college to review current practice and in policy and provision and to identify next steps.
- School health check
- WSA: Mapping and planning tool
- Mental Health Lead Role Guidance [685.1 KB] [docx]
- Mental health policy guidance [793.8 KB] [docx]
- Example school mental health policies
- Reducing mental health stigma in schools (educationsupport.org.uk)
- ABA_Responding_To_Bullying_Incidents_School_Tool.pdf (anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk)
- ESCC Learning Portal for mental health themed training to support SMHLs with their understanding of mental health and develop strategies for support children and young people
- Peter House Strategy
Government guidance:
- Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Senior mental health lead training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Mental health and wellbeing provision in schools (publishing.service.gov.uk)
- Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Ethos and environment
A whole school approach develops a positive, values-based ethos where everyone feels they belong. There is a commitment from everybody to welcome, respect and include. This builds confidence that others will listen and understand.
There is an understanding of how critical the relationships between staff and children and young people and staff and staff are in promoting wellbeing and a sense of belonging to and liking of - school or college.
Promoting and embedding a culture of wellbeing in schools / colleges requires both a strategic and operational approach and involves all members of the school community. Establishing a dedicated team with representatives from a variety of roles within the setting, who meet regularly and feed into whole school/college priorities and objectives is essential.
Culture comprises:
- modelling wellbeing-friendly working practices
- clear communications
- opportunities to reinforce a sense of community
- a shared agenda and responsiveness to staff feedback.
A key starting point is an emphasis on strengths and abilities to develop a supportive culture in which:
- Relationships are prioritised
- Talking about emotions and feelings, mental health and wellbeing is the norm.
- It is acceptable to acknowledge difficulties and ask for help.
- You can provide extra input to those with more serious problems in a joined-up way, without stigma.
- The whole school/college has the skills and attitudes to support those with greater needs.
Schools and colleges with a positive ethos
In practice, school/colleges and classrooms with these core values and attitudes have:
- Low levels of conflict and disruptive behaviour.
- Positive behaviours for learning.
- Smooth transitions from one type of activity to another.
- Appropriate ways to express emotion.
- Respectful communication and problem solving.
- Warm, supportive responses to individual pupils and needs.
- A safe and secure environment that prevents any form of bullying or violence.
Ethos and environment resources
Mental Health and emotional well-being calendar –themed days
Make use of these opportunities and resources to discuss various aspects of MHEW throughout the year
This is an evidence-based framework that can inform ethos and curriculum in schools. Templates and ideas to use throughout the school day/week are available from the MHEW In Education team.
Respectful School Communities Self-Review and Signposting Tool (educateagainsthate.com)
Staff development, health and wellbeing
Wellbeing in schools/colleges starts with the staff; it is part of a positive whole school/college ethos and culture and supported by robust policies and procedures.
Schools/colleges, as the employer, have responsibilities and a duty of care towards staff. This includes ensuring that staff have appropriate CPD/training, so they have the correct skills for job, the workload is manageable and that there is support available when needed.
A culture of open & honest communication, mutual respect & support, and clear signposting to support is part of this. Effective people management is key to establishing and maintaining positive relationships and can include:
- Open conversations.
- Celebrating successes, strengths-based approach.
- Obtaining staff voice, such as using surveys and focus groups and ensuring staff are kept informed as a result of being consulted.
- Safe spaces to have difficult conversations (reflective practice).
- Training to support staff having difficult conversations.
The benefits of good staff wellbeing can be seen throughout the school/college community. When staff are ‘at their best’ it will have a positive impact on children and young people, including improved educational outcomes and better relationships.
Staff will demonstrate increased productivity and there will be reduced absences from work as staff will be better able to manage stress and develop healthier coping strategies. There will be improved job satisfaction and increased staff retention as staff will be feelings valued, supported and invested in.
Understanding our own wellbeing needs
Taking the time for ourselves is essential and building self-awareness, emotion regulation and positive self-care habits in ourselves, is key to supporting children and young people with these skills. It is hard to promote emotional wellbeing in others if you feel uncared for and burnt out. Staff straining in this area could cover:
- The importance of staff looking after their own mental health.
- Evidence-based approaches for supporting their own, staff and pupil or student mental health and resilience, such as trauma informed, counselling, mindfulness and other approaches, and the role these can play as part of a holistic approach.
- Signposting and arranging appropriate support for staff dealing with mental health issues and incidents in the school/college.
Supporting staff
It helps if the school/college ethos accepts the reality of staff stress and makes it safe for staff and leaders (as well as children and young people) to:
- admit their challenges
- seek support for mental health needs without stigma
To help staff build a greater sense of control the school/college can support them to develop key stress reduction skills. These can include building resilience, relaxation and mindfulness.
Staff should also be supported to understand the importance of balance and the positive role stress can play
- Pressure and performance - Mental health awareness at work - eLearning - YouTube
Staff wellbeing and development resources
Staff wellbeing policy template
Wellbeing action plan template
Staff survey examples [101.9 KB] [docx]
Teacher Wellbeing Index: mental health & wellbeing research (educationsupport.org.uk)
Mental Health Leads small group reflective practice - monthly Teams session
Curriculum, teaching and learning
Curriculum, teaching and learning
The focus of curriculum teaching and learning within the Whole School Approach is to promote resilience and support social and emotional learning for all children and young people.
Recognising the impact of mental health and wellbeing on learning
Experiencing some level of emotional wellbeing challenge in life is normal. The emotional and physical changes of growing up can be stressful. Hormonal shifts in adolescence may impact on self-identity and relationships and it is well known that the ‘teenage brain’ has less ability to regulate emotion and impulse and to feel empathy. Even predictable changes, such as, lesson changes, different teachers and moving year groups, can challenge and affect learning.
Specific teaching of social and emotional skills
In a positive school environment, relationships are prioritised and staff and pupils have a range of effective social and emotional skills. These skills help young people manage challenges and change and can help prevent mental health problems and risk-taking behaviours.
Schools should develop and promote social and emotional skills through a dedicated Personal Social Health and Economic education (PSHE) curriculum – including statutory content regarding Relationships Education (RE) and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) and Health Education. Statutory guidance on the implementation of the curriculum states that such content should be delivered in a ‘carefully sequenced way, within a planned programme of lessons’
Schools have a key role in teaching core skills, attitudes and values linked to the following themes:
Core theme 1: Health and Wellbeing
Core theme 2: Relationships
Core theme 3: Living in the wider world
Embedding MHEW across the curriculum
In addition to specific PHSE/RHSE lessons, it is important to embed MHEW teaching and learning within everyday practice. Assemblies and tutor sessions are a good opportunity to explore themes linked to MHEW. These sessions may be based on pupil survey data linked to MHEW or on local/national trends.
There are also opportunities to address MHEW themes across the wider curriculum, for example by researching historical figures who have overcome challenges with their mental health, teaching about neuroscience and brain development in science lessons, exploring the impact of exercise on wellbeing during PE or developing empathy when reading fiction texts.
There are also times during the academic year that provide opportunities for a specific curricular focus, for example learning skills for coping with transition periods or learning skills for coping with the pressures of studying for exams. There may also be times when it will be appropriate for a focus to be given to a locally topical issue, or national event.
Establishing a bank of accessible and representative MHEW related books and resources, for classrooms and libraries, can also help to embed understanding of key themes and useful strategies.
Curriculum, teaching and learning resources
East Sussex PSHE Hubs
Your local PHSE Hub will provide up to date training and resources to enable you to delivery high quality teaching and learning in line with statutory requirements.
Useful links, signposting and resources:
- PSHE Association – MHEW lesson plans (Mental health and emotional wellbeing lesson plans | www.pshe-association.org.uk (pshe-association.org.uk)
- PHE School Zone resources - suitable for Upper KS2 and above. Lesson plans and resources cover unhelpful thoughts, building connections, worry, dealing with change, and lots of others
- toolkit-all-about-me.pdf (mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk) Lesson plans/activities for new school year
- Barnardos Diversity Resources
- DEAL: Developing Emotional Awareness and Listening | Samaritans
- Oxfam Citizenship Resources
- Wellbeing activities: managing stress | British Red Cross
Enabling student voice
Mental health and wellbeing depend on having a sense of self-belief, belonging and autonomy. Children and young people need to feel they have influence and a ‘voice’.
Children and young people voice is about genuine consultation and participation. It means involving all children and young people in decision making about their own learning, classroom and school/college life.
The DfE states that children and young people benefit from having opportunities to influence decisions, to express their views and to develop strong social networks.
Done well, it can help all children and young people:
- Gain belief in their own abilities
- Build their knowledge and skills to make healthy choices
- Develop their independence
It is important to ensure that a range of voices are heard, which reflect the diversity of the children and young people community.
Schools and colleges need to ensure that they are aware of barriers to participation and that there are a range of strategies for engaging with children and young people with different communication preferences or needs.
- Youth Voice: We Need To Be Heard - YouTube
Example Participation and Consultation Methods:
- Using the My Health, My School survey
- Focus groups
- Engagement events
- Youth interview panels
- Activity-based workshops
- Interactive feedback/suggestion boards
- Voting systems
- Focused assemblies
- Radios/podcasts
- Peer support, buddy systems or Mental Health champions
- Children and young people self-evaluation
- Child and young person led parents’ evenings
Children and Young People-Led Audits
You can use these resources to support children and young people in your school/college to audit mental health provision by asking their peers questions or running focus groups.
Children and Young People have told us:
Between 2020 and 2024, the Mental Health Support Teams commissioned children and young people voice work and worked with children and young people in 18 schools to inform whole school/college priorities. These are the main themes that came out from this work:
- Staff need to be trained to be aware of mental health and how to listen
- Young people perceive behavioural policies as often having a negative impact on MHEW
- Safe spaces in school/colleges are needed
- MHEW spaces should be designed and decorated by children and young people
- More emphasis on MHEW in PSHE
- Lots more work to de-stigmatise mental health and make it more visible
- Keep pastoral support and behaviour support separate.
An example of participation we have carried out includes this animation that was produced by young people to help school/college staff to be able support them with anxiety.
- Message about Anxiety from Young People for Teacher's (youtube.com)
Working with parents, families and carers
Families play a key role in influencing children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Evidence suggests that working collaboratively with families can impact positively on the impact of MHEW interventions and support. Parents and carers can help to reinforce the messages of the school, embed recommended approaches and reflect on what is working well.
Schools/colleges can also help parents and carers develop their own understanding of MHEW and related parenting skills and approaches.
This may be informal, through conversation with parents and carers, or more formally through:
- presentations at parents’ evenings
- printed information and signposting
- parenting workshops
- designated family link workers or parenting practitioners
The specific content of these sessions can be based on information obtained through parent/carer surveys on MHEW.
Within ESCC, all schools and colleges have an allocated parent/carer practitioner to support and develop engagement with families as part of the whole school approach to MHEW. Practitioners can support schools to consult with parents and carers about a range of MHEW related issues. They will then use this information to plan parent/carer workshops and coffee mornings which aim to support families to develop their skills and understanding around mental health and emotional wellbeing.
For more information on this offer, please contact MHEW@eastsussex.gov.uk
Resources to support engagement with parents, carers and families
For a guide to developing a whole school approach to parent and carer engagement: Parent/carer engagement : Mentally Healthy Schools
For information on auditing parent and carer engagement and creating an engagement strategy and action plan: theme-3-welcoming-families-to-engage-with-the-school-resources-1-9.pdf (gov.wales)
Local services:
Organisations that support parents | East Sussex County Council?
Support for families | Family hubs (eastsussex.gov.uk)
Identifying need and monitoring impact
Identifying need
Spotting problems early and responding promptly often results in a reduced risk of mental health problems. Staff need to be clear about what might be a cause for concern and recognise the early signs of mental health problems.
Form tutors and class teachers may spot changes in behaviour, attainment or attendance. This could suggest a problem and it is helpful to keep and track reliable data on this.
When school/colleges suspect that a child or young person is having mental health difficulties, they should not delay putting support in place, using the graduated response process (assess, plan, do, review):
• an assessment to establish a clear analysis of the child or young person's needs;
• a plan to set out how the child or young person will be supported;
• action to provide that support; and
• regular reviews to assess the effectiveness of the provision and lead to changes where necessary
Assessment
To decide the adjustments and support a pupil needs, the MHEW team need a shared understanding of child or young person's needs.
- Observe child/young person’s behaviour: is it internalising (such as low mood), or externalising (such as aggression)? Behaviour is communication so it's important to explore the feelings and motivations behind it.
- Use a collaborative approach: base your approach a broad and holistic range of information. Include the pupil voice, parent or carer views, observations and information gathered through assessment tools.
- Decide on an assessment tool: There are a variety of tools that education settings can use as the basis for understanding and planning a response to child and young person’s mental health and wellbeing needs. The tools range from simple feedback forms to validated measures which can focus on both wellbeing and mental health. For examples of validated tools to assess children and young people's wellbeing, see Public Health England's guidance on measuring mental wellbeing in children and young people)
Clear referral pathways
It’s essential for all staff to know and understand the following:
- The MHEW support that is available within and outside your setting. (a graduated response)
- How a child or young person accesses this support.
- The process for agreeing support in your school or college.
- How you evaluate interventions.
- What path to take if the child or young person does not improve with initial support.
- How to signpost the pupil and their family to the right staff member(s) for more information or support.
In larger schools or colleges, it can be helpful to set up a MHEW panel. The panel can discuss children and young peoples’ needs and make group decisions about suitable support that is available.
Referral flow template
To see an example of a successful referral model you can view the St Richard’s document (add attachment as website is being changed)
Within the referral flow model, you can include the following:
- The aims, purpose and membership of the panel and experts you may invite.
- Referral form, guidance and process.
- How and where to save referrals on the school system.
- Responsibility of referrer.
- Contact with parents and carers.
- Intervention and support guidance with thresholds.
- Interventions for the year, such as type, criteria, intended outcomes, details, key staff and their role.
- Signposting information.
Resources:
MindEd – provides free online teaching to help adults to identify and understand children and young people with mental health problems. It provides simple, clear guidance on mental health to adults who work with children and young people, to help them support the development of young healthy minds.
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) – the SDQ can assist schools in taking an overview and making a judgement about whether a pupil is likely to be suffering from a mental health problem.
Boxall Profile – an online assessment tool for social emotional and behavioural difficulties for children and young people.
Template Referral Process [152.6 KB] [docx]
Targeted support and appropriate referrals
Targeted support and appropriate referrals
Once a need has been identified, staff should act quickly to ensure that children and young people receive the appropriate targeted support or referral pathway. Schools and colleges should have their referral pathway set out in a clear process which all staff should be aware of.
Developing a graduated approach to your school’s mental health and emotional wellbeing (MHEW) provision is central to ensuring all MHEW needs are met and appropriate help and support are provided. This can be set out using a template, such as the ‘pyramid of graduated support’ and include both in-house and external provision available. Knowing about local services and ensuring that referrals are timely and appropriate, and followed up, are key to successful intervention and support.
A clear referral process (see previous section ‘Identifying need and monitoring impact’) will ensure that children and young people receive the appropriate level of support.
Universal support
This is support delivered at whole school/college level. It includes quality first teaching, reasonable adjustments, interventions and support for all children and young people. When MHEW is embedded throughout the curriculum and within the school and college ethos, MHEW ‘coverage’ will be happening daily and throughout positive interactions.
Targeted support
Stage 1: Support and interventions delivered by staff using in-house resources, for example:
- one-to-one support from an individual needs assistant or teaching assistant
- small group work led by a staff member on issues such as bereavement, anxiety, or social skills
Stage 2: As above, with advice or in-person support from an external professional.
Specialist support
This is for children and young people who:
- have more complex and enduring MHEW needs
- need help from a trained expert, in addition to ongoing support from your school or college
Mapping out a graduated support system
Use this document to identify the different levels of support, staff, professionals and services involved in your individual setting.
MHEW Support pyramid template and example [324.2 KB] [docx]
Key recommendations
- Produce clear, written guidance for staff about the referral process.
- Identify key staff by roles and the interventions they provide.
- Agree which assessment tools to use.
- Map out MHEW support, referral system & criteria.
- Publicise additional MHEW resources / support.
Targeted support resources - local
- CYP MH services listed on ES 1Space
- Single Point of Advice
- E-wellbeing – resources for schools
- i-rock – support for 14-25s
- School Health Service - confidential text messaging service for parents/carers of cyp aged 5-19 and yp aged 11-19: 07507 332 473
- 0300 123 4062 – School Health One Point (SHOP)
- Online referral form (includes Ready Steady Go referral)
- Sussex MH Line - 0800 0309 500 - support and information
- E-motion – online counselling for 12-18s
- Discovery College – creative courses for 12-20s
Toolkits:
Unexpected Death and Critical Incidents
Targeted support resources – national
- Childline - 0800 1111
- The Mix - 0808 808 4994
- Student Minds - text ‘STUDENT’ to 85258 , call free on 0808 189 5260 4-11pm
- Youth Employment UK
- Papyrus – suicide prevention support, including Hopeline - Call: 0800 068 41 41/ Text: 07786 209 697
- Saneline – can request a call back. Support for those affected by mental illness
- Samaritans – 116123 – 24/7
- Mind – information and support
- Home - East Sussex 1Space - directory of local services
