At Catshill Middle School, the wellbeing of our pupils is our top priority. Every year we appoint Wellbeing Champions to help organise wellbeing activities.

This year we had a full week of activities, the week aims to give pupils the opportunity to experience the 5 Ways to Wellbeing:

• connect
• be active
• take notice
• keep learning
• give

Pupils were given the chance to choose activities they wanted to try and every pupil watched the Disney film 'Inside Out', a film that focuses on our emotions and wellbeing. It reminds us to give ourselves permission to not be okay and how tricky it can be managing our feelings as we grow. 

At Catshill Middle school, our pupils are shown there are many ways we can manage our emotions, Lego therapy in the Orchard Room with Mrs Dix's games clubs at lunchtime and zones of regulation to help our pupils recognise their feelings. 

We work alongside Kooth and urge all parents to take a look and consider using this tool with your family. Kooth is a free, safe and anonymous place for young people to find online support and counselling. This short video gives more information and how Kooth can benefit. 

Catshill Middle School is privileged to have a full time Qualified Mental Health Practitioner (MHP) that works in school to help guide and support our pupils as they grow and learn to manage their emotions. 

Our MHP, who has also completed the designated senior mental lead in school certificate, is based in The Orchard Room, which offers a quiet, safe, non-judgemental space fo invited pupils who struggle with social aspects of school life. 

A typical day starts with a morning meet and greet for those pupils who may find it difficult to come into school (for a variety of reason). Once in school, our MHP, is able to sit down with them, go through their timetable and talk about the day ahead. Once the bell goes, they will join their friends and peers in the first lesson.  

Throughout the day, structured interventions will take place, either individual mentoring or in small groups. All sessions will be monitored and evidence based, so their will be a record of their progress, which helps determine the next step for the individual pupil. Every session in Orchard is confidential, unless safeguarding concerns are raised. Parents/carers will have the opportunity to discuss progress and recommendations. 

Sessions will cover:

Social Skills
Social Competency
Health Promotion
Friendships
Anxiety
Stress
Low Mood
Bereavement
Speech & Language
Emotional Intelligence
Confidence Building

Any interventions that are with an outside agency, for example: YMCA or Touchstones are also facilitated by our MHP, and take place in The Orchard Room. 

There is no time limit at Orchard, we work with our pupils as long as they need. Sometimes this is short term, sometimes for their duration of time at Catshill. The 'one size fits all' approach does not work and our MHP and all staff at Catshill work hard to make sure each pupil receives the individual interventions and support they need, not just for their time at CMS, but to prepare them for when they do leave us eventually. 

Any member of staff is able to make a referral to The Orchard Room, so if this is something you feel would be beneficial to your child, please speak to your child's form tutor in the first instance.