Wellbeing at Ackworth School
‘When you speak to the children you find that they all love school.’
Wellbeing is central to everything we do at Ackworth School; happy children flourish and helping young people to maintain their wellbeing is the first step on the road to success.
We have a layered approach to our wellbeing, understanding and responding to the individual needs of our children. Positive relationships and the Quaker ethos underpin our pastoral care; we listen to children, their voices are valued and heard, and influence our decision-making. We encourage the pupils to develop honest and equal relationships with others.
Pastoral Support
There is a clear pastoral structure in place, and pupils know where to go for support. On arrival at Ackworth School, pupils become part of a House, as well as a year group and a small tutor group. This helps cement a sense of belonging and community, and enables pupils to have access to advice and support from the Head of House, Head of Year and their Tutor. Tutors meet with pupils daily and play a key role in ensuring pupils’ social and emotional development as well as monitoring academic progress, overseen by the Head of Year and Senior Deputy Head.
The pastoral team is adept at supporting children through challenge, and there is a strong emphasis on reflective and restorative approaches towards resolving issues as they arise, working alongside pupils and families.To ensure our pupils thrive and are well prepared for the future, they follow thorough and relevant PSHE (personal social and health education), RSE (relationships and sex education) and careers programmes, where they learn about keeping themselves safe, healthy and happy, and where they are prepared for the future. These messages are reinforced through assemblies, active tutorial time, and visiting speakers.
Emotional and physical wellbeing
There are times when children require more support. At Ackworth pupils can access a range of additional support including mindfulness sessions, counselling, the nurture room, peer mentor support or our visiting our therapeutic specialist.
“I have been regularly using the pastoral support, they are amazing at understanding, helping me and just being there to talk to. Talking to someone who isn’t a teacher made it so much easier to talk about what I was feeling without having to worry how it may impact their view on me in lessons or otherwise. I’m so grateful for the pastoral care, because I’ve really needed the support this year.” – 6th Form Student
“I really enjoy and am very thankful for the opportunity to access mindfulness classes at school, I find that mindfulness helps in a lot of stressful situations and gives us the skills to remain calm if we come across a difficult situation in our lives. I think it’s amazing that the school is willing to put aside time to teach us something this useful and I really enjoy it, I’m thankful for the skills I have and the ability I have to use mindfulness tasks to help me cope in life.” – 5th Form Pupil
The school has its own Health Centre, staffed with a nurse daily, and a visiting GP (doctor) holds a surgery at the school once a week.