We want your child to be the best and the happiest they can be while at Freemen's and we achieve this by supporting our whole community to thrive and to flourish.
Pastoral care and wellbeing is not just another initiative at Freemen's. It is fundamental to everything we do and why we have included pupils, staff and parents in devising our Wellbeing Framework.
Some children could be at Freemen's for 11 years, which is a long time. We know your child will mould and recreate themselves time and time again. We will give your child the space and the tools for them to be who they want to be as they go through the school, enabling them to learn in a safe and kind environment.
We know that there will be bumps in the road and we have a trained and dedicated team to support your child. During difficult times, we will encourage them to focus on their relationships and to acknowledge areas of their life where they are flourishing. Peer mentors, a School counsellor and Mental Health First Aid-trained nurses are available to support. For more serious issues a large and competent safeguarding team is also dedicated to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your child.
Peer to Peer Support
Sometimes young people are the best advocates for each other. We spend time training our pupils to become mentors to support one another. The result often means small problems can be nipped in the bud without needing to go to staff, while creating better self esteem for the mentee and the mentor, as well as developing kindness across the school.
In the Sixth Form, 32 students are trained in Mental Health First Aid are able to support their peers as well as children lower down the school. More than half of Lower 6 are mentoring pupils younger than them on a weekly basis.
Staff
We also work with our staff to think about their own wellbeing. We know that there are better outcomes for everybody if we are in an environment where everyone can flourish.
Our Continued Professional Learning (CPL) Programme not only focuses on pastoral and SEND needs in the classroom, but also the importance of mattering in a community, while more than 40 staff are Mental Health First Aid trained to spot early warning signs of problems.
Counselling and the Medical Centre
The School has a counsellor who offers a drop-in service in a private counselling room within the medical centre once a week.
Our well-equipped medical centre is staffed by experienced, registered nurses who are trained in Mental Health First Aid.
The nurses are available to provide a clinically effective, high quality service of nursing care for all members of the school community. Health promotion, education, injury, minor illness and chronic illness management are all part of the school nurses' role. The nurses are also available on a pastoral level to help the children throughout their school day.
The Medical Centre is open from 8.30am - 5.30pm Monday to Friday during term time.
Chaplaincy
We have an ordained Anglican Chaplain, Revd. Jon Prior available for all pupils and staff. Although the school has a Christian ethos, we welcome those of all faiths as well as those with none.