Halcyon Education Anna Bateman

I’m proud to share this podcast in conversation with Zoe Winchester, Senior Mental Health Lead of a primary school. She shares her journey of change and whole school culture and gaining senior leadership team buy-in.

I’m delighted to share this podcast in conversation with Andrew Cowley. He is an experienced school leader and is passionate about teacher and pupil wellbeing in schools. He is the author of the popular teacher wellbeing guide The Wellbeing Toolkit and co-founder of Healthy Toolkit (@HealthyToolkit).

In this episode we talk all things staff wellbeing and Andrew shares his wisdom in and thoughts on how schools can promote good staff wellbeing.
Podcast shared with kind permission from BEP

Emma Spillane works with schools to support them in creating a safe environment in which vulnerable children feel calm, grounded and ready to learn.
In this interview, she details 3 specific areas of interest where schools can make adjustments that make a difference to the daily experiences of their most vulnerable children.
From connecting and providing a structure at key transition times in the day, to building positive relationships and trusted connections with key staff, and adapting the physical environment as seen through the eyes of the children, Emma's numerous strategies are tried and trusted and always place the needs of the child first.

Faye Whittle is a SEND specialist, an education consultant and an advisor on inclusion in schools. Find out more about her work, and how it dovetails with the work of the mental health lead in schools.
Faye goes on to explore what can be done to reduce the disproportionate number of SEND pupils who are excluded from schools.

In this interview with three secondary students and their head teacher it is encouraging to hear one pupil state "It's OK not to be OK". An open culture around mental health in their schools ​has provided the support they need, and the confidence to speak about mental health. Find out more about their strategies for improving mental health, from transition to year 7 throughout all year groups.

A comprehensive guide to your first 100 days as a senior mental health lead helping you define your role, along with an action plan