Mental Health and Wellbeing at Thornden

At Thornden, mental health and wellbeing are part of our culture, not a separate initiative. Our approach is rooted in our values of Belong, Care, Aspire and Succeed. We want every student to feel known, valued, safe and supported to flourish personally, socially and academically.

We use a tiered approach so that students receive the right support at the right time. This includes universal support for all students, targeted support for those who need additional help, and specialist support when concerns are more complex.

Our Universal Offer: Wellbeing for All Students

Our universal offer is designed to promote positive mental health, build resilience and help students develop the language and strategies they need to manage emotions, relationships and pressure.

This includes:

Area	What this looks like at Thornden
Personal Development curriculum	Health and wellbeing modules are taught through the tutor programme twice per year, helping students understand emotions, stress, sleep, self-care, relationships, resilience and help-seeking.
KS4 Personal Development lessons	Year 10 and Year 11 students receive dedicated lessons on managing pressure, exam stress, healthy routines, wellbeing and preparation for transition.
Assemblies	Assemblies reinforce key messages around belonging, kindness, resilience, emotional regulation, online safety, exam wellbeing and where to get help.
Tutor and pastoral support	Tutors are often the first trusted adult for students and help identify early signs of worry, stress or difficulty.
Wellbeing Den	A calm and supportive space where students can access check-ins, reassurance and early support.
Curriculum-wide approach	Mental health and wellbeing are reinforced across subjects, including PE, Science, English, RS/Ethics and Computing.
Clubs and enrichment	Breaktime, lunchtime and after-school clubs help students build friendships, confidence and a sense of belonging.
Reporting routes	Students can speak to a trusted adult, use the Report a Concern system, QR codes, worry boxes and pastoral routes to ask for help.

The universal provision map includes support such as listening and reassurance, tutor/class teacher awareness, Wellbeing Den check-ins, Personal Development lessons, clubs, ELSA drop-ins, newsletters, parent events and signposting to self-help resources.

 

Targeted Support: Early Help When Concerns Grow

Some students need additional support for a period of time. This may be because they are experiencing ongoing worry, low mood, friendship difficulties, bereavement, family change, attendance concerns or emotional regulation difficulties.

Targeted support may include:

Support	Purpose
Thornden Hub	A weekly multi-agency school meeting where pastoral, safeguarding, SEND, medical and wellbeing staff discuss students who may need coordinated support.
Pastoral Support	Direct support from pastoral staff, including check-ins, parent contact and individual planning.
ELSA support	Emotional Literacy Support Assistant work to help students understand feelings, relationships, coping strategies and regulation.
Mentoring	Regular support from a trusted adult to build confidence, belonging and emotional security.
Wellbeing Den support	Structured check-ins or short-term support for students who need a calmer start or a safe space during the day.
Parent meetings	Working with families to understand the concern and agree consistent support between home and school.

The provision map identifies Tier 1 and Tier 2 support for longer-term concerns affecting welfare or academic progress, including pastoral monitoring, CPOMS recording where appropriate, parent contact, SENCO consultation, Thornden Hub referral, mentoring, ELSA, counselling, School Nursing Team, MHST, Early Help and CAMHS signposting where needed.

 

Specialist and Intensive Support

Where concerns are more serious or complex, we work with families and external professionals so that students receive specialist support. This may include situations involving sustained self-harm, significant anxiety, depression, school refusal linked to mental health, serious safeguarding concerns or crisis-level need.

Specialist support may involve:

Service or pathway	Role
Mental Health Support Team / MHST	Early therapeutic support, often including CBT-informed work around anxiety and emotional regulation.
CAMHS	Specialist mental health assessment and intervention.
School Nursing Team	Support around physical health, sleep, diet, medication and emotional wellbeing.
Early Help	Family support where wider needs are affecting wellbeing.
Counselling	Individual emotional support where appropriate.
GP / NHS 111 / crisis pathways	Used where a young person may need urgent or medical mental health advice.
Risk assessment and safety planning	Used where concerns require clear safeguarding oversight and agreed actions.

For high-level concerns, staff are expected to report immediately to the DSL and record concerns on CPOMS. The school may use risk assessments, IARF, external agency referrals, reduced timetable planning where appropriate, medical referrals and ongoing review meetings.

 

Mental Health Across the Curriculum

Mental health is not only taught in Personal Development. It is reinforced through the wider curriculum and school culture.

Subject / Area	Contribution to wellbeing
English	Explores empathy, grief, identity, injustice and relationships through literature.
PE	Promotes physical wellbeing, teamwork, resilience and confidence.
Science	Teaches links between sleep, stress, the brain and physical health.
RS / Ethics	Encourages reflection, compassion, forgiveness and understanding of others.
Computing	Supports digital wellbeing, online safety and healthy online habits.
Thornden DNA / classroom culture	Calm routines, consistency, modelling, scaffolding and positive relationships reduce anxiety and help students feel secure.

The school’s wider framework links classroom climate, consistency, belonging, structured lessons and relationships to emotional safety and regulation.

 

How We Monitor Need and Impact

We regularly review wellbeing through:

• CPOMS and safeguarding trends
• attendance patterns
• student voice
• parent feedback
• pastoral and Thornden Hub discussions
• staff observations
• feedback from interventions and external partners

This helps us identify concerns early, adapt provision and make sure students do not fall through the net. The overview document describes this as a data-informed model where CPOMS, attendance and student voice are reviewed to shape provision and evidence impact.

 

What to Do if You Are Worried About a Student

If you are worried about your child’s mental health or wellbeing, please contact their Tutor, Head of Year or the Pastoral Support Team.

If the concern is urgent or relates to immediate risk of harm, please contact the school as soon as possible and ask to speak to a member of the safeguarding team. Outside school hours, families should use appropriate emergency or crisis support, including NHS 111, 999 in an emergency, or local crisis services.

At Thornden, mental health is everyone’s responsibility. Our aim is that every student feels they belong, knows how to seek help, and is supported to succeed.