Wellbeing

The Wellbeing of our Pupils

Clifton High School is firmly committed to supporting and continually improving the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils, recognising and responding to their individual needs. We believe that by establishing strong foundations for children to thrive in their education, they will learn with engagement to achieve academically, discovering that they are better placed to enter the wider world with confidence and self-awareness.  

Our School values - Curiosity, Empathy, Love and Direction - promote an ethos of respect for ourselves and others within an environment that celebrates diversity and individuality. We are proud to have created this culture, one that maintains consistently good behaviour ethics with high expectations to understand the challenges that many young people face.  

Through dedicated Health and Wellbeing lessons, pupils gain essential life skills; learning how to communicate socially and emotionally, manage workloads and develop strategies that support their mental health. These lessons take place in a safe space, often including workshops led by a range of carefully selected professions who offer guidance on a wide spectrum of topics.  

As the number of children experiencing mental health difficulties throughout their schooling continues to rise, Clifton High School is committed to leading the way in early recognition and proactive support. We make it a priority to genuinely know our children beyond the classroom, acknowledging their needs with a targeted approach to promoting emotional, social and physical wellbeing. We encourage pupils to talk openly and honestly about how they feel, the concerns they may have and how School life is affecting them, good and bad. This open dialogue helps them grow and flourish, confident of the safety net that we implement to catch them should they need it.  

Our highly regarded pastoral care is at the heart of Clifton High School. Our medical professionals and on-site counsellors are the key points of contact, yet the whole School community are regularly trained in safeguarding and wellbeing enabling us to recognise the indicators of those children who may be struggling.  

Pupils are welcome to access our Wellbeing Hub at any time during the School day to meet with Mrs Lindsay Bailey, our Wellbeing and Mental Health Lead and Trauma Informed Schools Practitioner. Lindsay is a warm and experienced practitioner who has worked at Clifton High School for several years. She collaborates closely with Jackie Brangwyn, our School Counsellor, and the wider Pastoral Team to provide direct, professional intervention with children requiring intervention. Where necessary, they may refer pupils to external agencies should the pupils’ needs extend beyond mild to moderate mental health problems.  

At Clifton High School, wellbeing is not an add-on—it is an integral part of our ethos and practice, underpinning everything we do to support each child’s journey.