Stratford School Academy Celebrates World Mental Health Day

Stratford School Academy proudly celebrated World Mental Health Day with a series of activities aimed at promoting mental well-being among students and staff. The event highlighted the importance of mental health and provided practical strategies to support the school community.

As part of World Mental Health Day, all KS3 Tutor groups participated in the National Literacy Trust campaign to #Take10toRead. There is a proven link between reading and good mental well-being. As part of #Take10toRead, each tutor group read a short extract of a story, which helps promote a calm start to the day and boost the sense of belonging within the school community.

In addition to the reading campaign, the Student Leadership Team met and devised a list of well-being strategies which was shared with staff. The Student Leadership Team recognises the importance of the staff’s work and its difficulty. They expressed their care for the staff’s well-being just as the staff care about the students’ well-being and future. These are some of the following tips that were shared to help promote mental health:

• Set specific times for marking and lesson planning, and avoid bringing work home whenever possible.
• Regular exercise, whether it’s a brisk walk, yoga, or a fitness class, can help release tension and boost your mood.
• Use your free periods or short breaks to step away from the classroom.
• Group similar tasks together (like marking or responding to emails) so you can complete them more efficiently.
• Take time to acknowledge your successes, even if they’re small, like managing a difficult student interaction or a lesson going well.

To further support staff well-being, the school provided a free breakfast, encouraging staff to take the opportunity to connect and support each other.

Additionally, a coffee morning was hosted by Arefa Attan, the in-house mental health practitioner who works with Place2Be to create a safe space for students to talk about their worries. During the coffee morning, Arefa discussed ways to recognise and manage stress in teenagers. This event took place on Wednesday and provided valuable insights for both students and staff.

Stratford School Academy is committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where mental health is a priority. The school looks forward to continuing its efforts to promote mental well-being, both in school and across the wider community.