Leadership and management

Schools should set up strong leadership for their MHEW provision. This should be through an involved and committed senior leadership team (SLT), a named senior mental health lead (SMHL), and a lead governor.

SLT will:

• take a proactive approach to MHEW within the school and understand that embedding a whole-school approach is a process of change management
• ensure that there is a whole school MHEW policy, which is reviewed regularly and is integrated within the school’s behaviour policy
• feel confident in tackling stigma and model positive attitudes and behaviours when it comes to protecting their own MHEW and that of others.

The SMHL will: 

• have a clear job description
• be a member of the senior leadership team, or be someone who has the authority, capacity and support to influence and lead strategic change within the setting (DfE 2021)
• use a recognised audit tool to plan and monitor their work (see the Identifying need and monitoring impact section)
• have accessed one of the DfE’s quality assured training courses for mental health leads
• have a clear presence in the school and be known to staff, pupils, and parents
• have an excellent knowledge of resources available to support pupils, families and staff.

The governing body will:

• have a named wellbeing governor who champions MHEW from a strategic perspective and has undertaken the West Sussex Lead Governor training for wellbeing
• ensure that they are up-to-date with DfE guidelines and practice in terms of staff wellbeing
• ensure that they hold themselves and senior leaders accountable for any aspects of the school improvement plan, policies and practices that pertain to wellbeing
• ask questions about wellbeing in the school and challenge where there are concerns
• uphold their duty of care to the headteacher
• have a good overview of wellbeing provision in the school and help to monitor the provision to ensure it is fit for purpose
• ensure that school wellbeing policies are written and up-to-date and reflect the context of the school.

• For advice and resources about Leadership and Management of MHEW please refer to the Mentally Healthy Schools Resource Hub.
• Whole school approach resources can be found at the Anna Freud Mentally Healthy Schools Resource Hub.
• You can apply for the training grant and to the approved courses on the Department for Education (DfE) approved training for SMHLs webpage.
• School meetings with the school’s named Educational Psychologist are usually held with the SENCO and can advise on whole school approaches to MHEW. You can read more on the Educational Psychology Service webpage.
• For self-access training for all governors, you can visit the West Sussex Services for Schools website.
• A guide for school business managers around managing staff wellbeing during the preparation as well as the actual OFSTED inspection.
• Senior leaders can look at how they can reduce workload pressures on staff via the school workload reduction kit.
• Schools that are part of the 'Thought-Full' programme can access termly planning meetings with their named mental health advisory teacher.
• Schools can use this West Sussex tool to build an overview of a school's current provision to aid planning. The tool includes pupil versions and comprehensive guidance.
• Schools can use the 'whole school and college approach measurement toolkit' to build an overview of current provision. There is a separate tool to assess outcomes from the whole school wellbeing work.

 

Invitations for Locality Network Meetings for Senior Mental Health Leads are sent directly to SMHLs on a termly basis. These meetings are a forum for SMHLs to share practice and to receive information about latest initiatives and resources.

All West Sussex schools are able to access the online CPD offer from 'Thought-Full online CPD programme for all schools'.

Two-part training for governors who are the lead governor for wellbeing in their schools, or who have an interest in wellbeing can be found online.