New podcast episode! We're a Thrive School of Excellence for mental wellbeing - here's what we do for pupils, staff and parents

The latest episode of Thrive’s Connected podcast celebrates World Mental Health Day, which takes place on October 10. In this episode, we focus on Rose Lane Primary School, in East London, which is a Thrive School of Excellence for mental health. Katie Parks, the school’s Counsellor, Mental Health Lead and Thrive Lead explains how mental wellbeing unlocks attendance and attainment and how the right structures, including having a Designated Mental Health Lead, can make the difference in terms of supporting pupils.

“If you don’t address the wellbeing needs of pupils, they won’t feel safe and they will struggle to learn,” she said.

Listen to the 13-minute podcast to discover:

• Simple tips and strategies that Rose Lane Primary School has put in place to support pupils, parents and staff.
• How a Designated Mental Health Lead supports pupil wellbeing.
• Why a whole school approach to mental health allows settings to identify problems early and put rapid interventions in place.
• What a whole school approach looks like in practice

As well as offering practical suggestions about how to create a whole school approach, Katie also reflects on Rose Lane’s journey to become a Thrive School of Excellence. She started at the school just as the Covid-19 pandemic struck and has worked hard to support children in its aftermath, including helping to put in place targeted support for children who may have developmental gaps as a result. In addition, Katie reflects on the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day ‘mental health is a universal human right’.

Thrive runs regular Mental Health Lead training courses which are delivered online over five weeks. These are fully funded by the Department for Education in England and give educators the tools to:

• Accurately identify need, provide support and make referrals
• Better understand and respond to the challenges young people face today
• Benchmark, develop action plans & evidence your impact

Listen to the podcast here

Over to you

To find out more about whether the Mental Health Lead course would be a good fit for you, click here to schedule a Discovery Call with your regional expert. Designed to fit in around your schedule, these free 30-minute conversations via Teams give you a chance to have your questions answered.