Next week, schools across the Ted Wragg Trust, spanning Devon, will be marking Children’s Mental Health Week.  Organised by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be, the annual event raises awareness of the importance of mental health for children and young people. This year’s theme, Know Yourself, Grow Yourself, encourages young people to embrace self-awareness, discover their strengths, and explore what mental wellbeing means to them.

At Tor Bridge High, a creative mental health scavenger hunt and quiz has been designed to capture students' attention and spark important conversations about mental health.  Students also receive valuable lessons, as part of their Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, on recognising changes in their mental health and learning to identify common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, both in themselves and in others. 

Exmouth Community College, who will formally join the Trust later this term, will mark the week with a themed assembly, followed by Personal Development sessions focused on mindfulness and the power of positive affirmations. Students will explore how they could incorporate these tools into their own lives to help maintain mental wellbeing. The school will also host a Wellbeing Fayre to provide additional support and resources for both students and families in the following week.

West Exe School has long championed student-led mental health initiatives through its team of Student Mental Health Ambassadors. Trained by the NHS mental health support team, these students help run break-time support rooms, promote mental health awareness days, and seek new ways to improve mental health support across the school. The school continues to be committed to mental health, investing in resources that ensure every student has access to the help they need.

At St Luke’s, their Mental Health Ambassadors have also been instrumental in creating positive changes within the student support services. Always ready to offer a listening ear and guidance, they have made a profound impact on the students they support, providing a safe and welcoming space for those in need. They recently won the Student Community Leadership Award at the Ted Wragg Awards in October 2024 for their unwavering dedication to the wellbeing of others.

This week also marked an important milestone across the trust as Senior Mental Health Leaders across Ted Wragg schools embarked on their journey to gain accreditation for the Mental Health Charter Mark.  This training, offered in partnership with Imagine Inclusion, provides school leaders with the knowledge and resources to enhance their mental health support systems. The initiative has been met with enthusiasm and anticipation, with staff eager to see its positive effects on the school community.  Staff across Ted Wragg schools are also in the process of completing an Emotional Logic Foundation Award to use as an intervention for children with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Also, this week, team members from the Whipton Barton Federation were introduced to the RULER approach, which stems from Yale University. In the initial session, they delved into the wide range of emotions we experience and the importance of acknowledging and naming them.  They explored the various terms used to describe emotions and reflected on how often we fail to identify and articulate the nuances of how we feel. This approach will play a crucial role in fostering a culture of emotional literacy, both for staff and children.

These approaches all fit in with the wider Trust Emotional Literacy and Wellbeing Strategy which was launched across schools this year and underscores the trust’s belief in a whole-school approach to mental health.  The strategy’s vision is to ensure every child is taught the skills they need to be emotionally literate, self-aware, and mentally well, helping to create a supportive, healthy learning environment across all schools.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said: “Children’s Mental Health Week provides a brilliant opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible work our schools do to support young people’s mental health every week of the year. Our goal is to ensure every child enjoys their school experience and I’m so proud of the staff who work tirelessly to create a culture where mental health is valued and discussed. 

“Senior Mental Health Leaders taking part in the Mental Health Charter Mark training is a significant step forward for our trust.  This programme will equip our leaders with the skills to make a lasting impact on our students’ lives and contribute to building a strong foundation for mental health that will benefit everyone in our school communities.”

Read more in this TES article, where Tracy Stephenson headteacher at Tor Bridge High shares how their school creatively engaged students in Children’s Mental Health Week through a scavenger hunt, turning exploration into a meaningful conversation about mental well-being.