At St. George Madrid, we understand the importance of developing the child as a whole and as part of this place the students mental health and wellbeing at the centre of their education. Many reports state that there is a mental health crisis in young people around the world and we take our role as school very seriously in ensuring our young people are supported.
From the moment they enter the school, we place an emphasis on the happiness of the child, no matter what age they are. In both our Primary and Secondary schools, there is a dedicated Head of Pastoral that is responsible for overseeing the mental health of our students. The pastoral teams work closely with all staff members to work with any individual student that needs support throughout the school year.
As well as this, there is a qualified Senior Mental Health lead who is on hand to work with staff and students when needed as well as supporting our Student Support staff when promoting positive mental health.
This promotion of positive mental health is embedded in the school values and throughout the Personal, Social, Health and Education curriculum where it is taught explicitly and students have the chance to develop their understanding of what mental health is, identify when their mental health may be suffering and have a range of strategies and options to turn to when there are difficulties. The key point of it being good to talk to someone is reinforced and the young people in the community are aware of the designated people in school to talk to if this is needed. We believe this reflects our idea that our students voice are heard in all areas such as regular School Council meetings to empower them to have a say in issues like this across the school.
Whilst we tackle mental health as a stand alone issues and discuss this with our students, it is within the context of the school community as a whole. It is part of our vision that every child matters and our aims of students developing as a whole child, engaging with and enjoying their learning as well as having a positive social experience in school is at the heart of our provision in ensuring the happiness of our young people. By having enriching experiences within this international environment, students at St. George Madrid know that their mental health is taken seriously and nurtured, which is an important part of their school journey and a key issue that we will continue to provide for.