Harrogate school appoints GP in new plan to boost mental health amid pressures of UK's education sector
A Harrogate school has appointed a resident mental health expert as the pressures of school life after Covid show no signs of easing across the UK's education sector.
A feeling of being burnt-out has been exacerbated recently by the removal of COVID “cushions” built into external exams, pushing the bar higher when it comes to results.
But independent Harrogate school, Ashville College, has been leading the way in promoting good mental health and wellbeing for both pupils and staff, launching a raft of new initiatives.
As part of the innovations introduced over the past two years to help reverse mental health trends in education, it has broken new ground by teaming up with Harrogate GP and mental health expert Sarah Hattam, from Concilio Health, as resident advisor.
Ashville College is drawing upon her expertise to offer practical support and training on issues such as rest and recharge, sleep, menopause support and upskilling people to be the best they can be.
The school’s Head, Rhiannon Wilkinson, said: “By creating a positive working environment with a common purpose, by listening to what our colleagues have to say and optimising performance through improved wellbeing, within the constraints of a school and business environment, we hope to make Ashville College the school of first choice in the Harrogate area with a reputation for delivering excellent outcomes for the pupils entrusted to our care.
"If we are to offer first class holistic education for our pupils, how can we enable them to become the best version of themselves?”
Since the height of the Covid pandemic, a study by the National Library of Medicine has revealed the number of young people battling mental health issues has more than doubled.
With World Mental Health Day focusing on burn-out in the workplace on Thursday, October 10, Ashville has already opened its own Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre for pupils staffed by experts in the field of mental health.
It also created the new position of Deputy Head (Staff) recently to listen to and champion feedback from teachers and it has its own staff association.
More information at: https://www.ashville.co.uk/