Wellbeing Embedded in School Life

Wellbeing is not a single intervention but a whole school culture and ethos embedded across all aspects of school life that supports pupils, parents/carers and staff. We aim to support every member of our school community, ensuring they feel safe, heard, and equipped for success. Our mission is to create an environment where all individuals feel valued, supported, and equipped with the tools they need to thrive both academically and personally.

The wellbeing room offer

  • Mentoring and support where pupils can explore topics such as friendship, confidence, organisation, resilience, and managing stress.
  • One to one conversations with teachers or pastoral staff for pupils who need advice, a listening ear, or quiet space to talk.
  • A comfortable setting where parents can meet with teachers for wellbeing-focused conversations in a calm, non formal environment.
  • A space for parent drop-ins or informal discussions about their child’s development and pastoral needs.
  • A peaceful room for students who need a moment to reset during a busy school day.
  • Regular wellbeing groups for pupils, including Year 7 CBAB (Cards, boardgames and books) and the Friday LGBTQ+ Group. These supportive, purposeful sessions offer pupils a safe space to build confidence, develop connections, share experiences, and strengthen their sense of belonging within Chigwell School.

Our Approach to Wellbeing

We recognise that pupil wellbeing underpins success in learning and development. In the Prep School, the class teacher is the main link for day-to-day wellbeing support, whereas in the Senior School this role if fulfilled by the Form Tutor, working alongside Housemasters and Housemistresses (HMs) and Heads of Year (HOYs). Together, these staff play a crucial role in ongoing pastoral care, working closely with pupils and families to provide consistent guidance and support throughout each stage of school life. The Wellbeing Curriculum focuses on real world challenges, emotional literacy, and self care. Our pupils voice is key in shaping the wellbeing agenda through surveys and School Council alongside the Harsnett Praefect for Wellbeing. and our initiatives throughout the year align with our EDI values, ensuring all pupils feel represented, respected, and supported.

Pupil Wellbeing

Mentoring Discussion groups

This term, we launched a new programme of mentoring discussion groups in the senior school, as part of our commitment to pupil wellbeing. Led by Miss Cavicchi, pupils are invited to meet in small peer groups every other week at 8:30am in the Health and Wellbeing Centre to create a safe, supportive space for open conversation about life both in and out of school. Pupils are able to share ideas on how Chigwell can continue to nurture pupil wellbeing, while also building confidence, a stronger sense of belonging, and a clear voice within the school community.

Resident ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant)

Chigwell is proud to have Mrs Gould a trained ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) who works with pupils who may benefit from extra support for their emotional and mental wellbeing. The ELSA role is designed to help children understand and manage their feelings so they can thrive both in the classroom and in their wider lives. Through personalised sessions, our ELSA helps pupils develop skills such as building self-esteem and confidence, managing worries and anxiety, developing friendship and social skills and improving resilience and problem solving.

Support is delivered in a safe, nurturing space where pupils can talk openly, learn strategies, and grow emotionally. The aim is to equip children with lifelong skills that help them feel secure, confident, and ready to learn.

Counselling

Counselling provides a space where students can talk about their feelings, worries, and any challenges they may be facing. Whether it's anxiety, relationship issues, grief, or simply needing someone to talk to, the counsellors are there to listen and support students as they work through their concerns.

Prep School

Parents who have enquiries about counselling or emotional support for their child are encouraged to speak directly with their child’s class teacher or Mrs Tilbrook @ctilbrook@chigwell-school.org

If ongoing one‑to‑one support may be beneficial, teachers will make a referral to the counselling service where appropriate. Referrals in the Prep School are always considered carefully to ensure that each child receives the most suitable support.

Senior School

Pupils in Year 7-13, can request a drop-in session with Nina or Oliver by emailing our counsellors directly. Their contact details are displayed on posters in the Day Houses, Sixth Form Centre, and notice boards in the Lower School.

Parents and teachers can request counselling by contacting our Head of Wellbeing and Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Goddard, at agoddard@chigwell-school.org

Please note that a waiting list is currently in place. Referrals are allocated based on individual need and the availability of our counselling team, ensuring that support is prioritised fairly and effectively.

Parent and Carer Engagement

The Wellbeing Hub for Parents

At Chigwell, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our students is one of our top priorities. To strengthen this commitment, we continue to invest in The Wellbeing Hub created by experts in child and adolescent mental health and wellbeing, providing access to curated resources, including the Teens Course from Teen Tips, to support families in navigating challenges at home.

As a member of The Wellbeing Hub, parents have access to:

  • Expert advice on supporting your child’s wellbeing including parenting courses
  • Articles, videos, and practical tools to help you navigate everyday challenges
  • Guidance on topics such as friendships, online safety, resilience, and more
  • Monthly webinars with experts in their field to help you support your child
  • How to register:
    For new parents or if you have not signed up yet, click this link to register here
  • Fill out the form to create an account
  • If you have any questions about access, please contact the team at info@teentips.co.uk.

Parenting Teens’ Course & Coffee Mornings

Parents of pupils in Years 5–8 have the opportunity to take part in the online Parenting Teens course, delivered through The Wellbeing Hub. This course is designed to support parents as their child navigates the transition into adolescence. We have run two cohorts so far, in Spring and Autumn 2025, and feedback from participating parents was overwhelmingly positive.

The flexible online course is completed independently and includes:

  • 10 short online lessons
  • Approximately 3.5 hours of content
  • Practical insights and strategies for parenting pre teens and teens

To complement the course, we host a series of informal coffee mornings, where parents can come together to share reflections and discuss key themes in a supportive setting. Each session focuses on specific lessons from the course and runs from 8.00–8.50am in the Swallow Room. Topics include teen development, teens and risk, changing roles, communication, emotions, motivation, confidence, boundaries and what to do if things go wrong

Please look out for future course dates and coffee morning information in upcoming school posts.

Chigwell Conversations

Chigwell Conversations is an initiative that aims to create a welcoming space where parents can come together to explore key topics in education, child development, wellbeing, and the wider world. These events are intended to inform, inspire, and support our pupils’ to strengthen the collective wellbeing of our school community and enhance the support we provide to you as parents.

  • Wednesday 15th October – ‘Understanding Behaviour’ with Dr Charlotte Clarke (child and adolescent psychologist)
  • Monday 24th November – ‘Social Media’ with Kenny Primrose (podcaster, writer and expert in character education)
  • Monday 9th February-‘ How to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids’ with Dr Maryhan Baker (podcaster, speaker and parenting expert)

Please look out for future information about guest speakers in upcoming school posts.

Additional Information

Further information on the range of our wellbeing initiatives please see below:

Newsletter 1 Newsletter 2