Wellbeing is a holistic term that encompasses all aspects of a student’s life, including their physical, social, mental and emotional state. A student’s wellbeing can change from day to day, month to month and year to year and therefore we aim to prioritise awareness of this.
As well as increasing a person’s opportunity and choices in life, promoting strong mental health and wellbeing in education helps students:
At the academy we seek to have a holistic approach to nurturing student wellbeing.
All staff promote student wellbeing and are trained to notice small changes that may indicate a student needs additional support with their mental health. The tutor is often the person that will know a student best and be the ‘trusted adult’ a child feels most comfortable talking to, however, members of our pastoral team are adept at building positive relationships with students and also take on that role. The House Team area is a safe space where students can drop-in and receive pastoral support. There is a post box which is readily accessible in student reception for students to request additional support.
The Dorcan Academy offers a wide range of extra-curricular clubs to support students’ wellbeing. Below are some of the opportunities that have been offered:
The curriculum offered within the academy prioritises the importance of student wellbeing through designated Skills for Life and Health and Social Care lessons as well as through termly Growth Mindset Days. Our Character curriculum, delivered via the tutor programme and assemblies, allows students to explore the key virtues needed to support their overall wellbeing.
We have also developed a wellbeing referral route from the Strategy panel that meets each week to discuss key students in each house. This has enabled staff to work with students who need additional support to help their wellbeing and to ensure they maintain good attendance.
The academy has dedicated time to training key staff in the principles of Thrive; a research-driven support programme that understands the development of a young person’s mind and how to support those impacted by past adverse child experiences (ACEs). Within the academy several staff have been trained in the delivery of Emotional Literacy (ELSA), which is an intervention tailored to allow students themselves to learn about their emotions and how to apply coping strategies. We are fortunate within the academy to have an on-site counsellor to support with ongoing and more complex wellbeing cases. All staff have recently received Trauma informed training and senior leaders are in the process of receiving further training to deepen knowledge and allow for the training of others.
The Dorcan Academy supports staff wellbeing and encourages a work/life balance for all staff seeking ways to reduce workload and remove unnecessary tasks. An active listening service has been set up – this is a group of staff who have volunteered to be available for their colleagues to talk informally if they feel the need. Supervision is in place for all staff on a regular basis. A Buddy system supports new staff joining the academy at all levels to ensure they feel part of the community. Staff will also frequently acknowledge and offer thanks to their peers who have in some way made their day/week more achievable. These small moments of reflection and gratitude are built into Monday briefing each week. Students will often write thank you letters to teachers which are gratefully received bringing a smile to all who receive them. Staff will readily reward students for their good character and academic progress.
