Interview by Natasha Jones Founder of SMHM

Interview with Mr. Andrew Mugford (Deputy Head and Pastoral Manager) and Miss Nadine Pujolas

(Student Support Manager) of Moulsham High School, Chelmsford, Essex.

Can you give me your definition of mental health?

Mental health covers a wide range of issues and can be caused by environmental factors

Example such as ADHD

People with mental health issues need to adapt to school life.

Do you have any personal experience with mental health (yourself or loved ones)?

Andrew and Nadine both answered yes to this question

What do you think are the benefits of teaching children mental health?

Awareness

Break down stigma and misunderstanding

Also informing family to support them

Do you feel there are any negative aspects when teaching mental health?

Resources must be creditable and delivery is important.

Bullying could occur

However sanctions would be the same

How can schools improve support for mental health?

Provide information for parents

Upload information to the school website for parents

Teachers to be trained to recognize mental health issues

Pastoral team at this school have gone to CAMHS for general overview and self-harm

training however more training is needed for all teachers

What is Moulsham High School currently providing for mental health support?

Support centre

Rest breaks in class

Integrated timetable to relieve pressure from individuals

Links with other agencies outside of the school e.g Essex family solutions, educational

psychologists and speech and language therapists.

School counsellor provides group support session and 1 to 1 sessions.

How would you react if a student came to you in need for support with mental health issues?

Chat to the student to work out the severity of the issue so the right support is informed to

them.

Interview by Natasha Jones Founder of SMHM

Referral to counselling

Inform parents

If informing parents is an issue, peer mentors can be there to support the indivudal.

Any additional information you want to discuss?

Mental health case: Student in year 10 was referred to CAMHS and had been in and out of

the St Auburns Unit. Would have been useful if the teachers could have identified she

needed help earlier.

Andrew and Nadine both support the idea for teachers to be trained to understand and

identify mental health.

Maybe should be integrated into Safeguarding training discussed could have a similar

system to the green, amber and red system.

Andrew and Nadine both thought it would be useful for me to come in again during June and

hold a small support session for year 7s to year 10s. Would need to receive backing from the

Students union and formulate a consent letter to be given to the parents. And would be

even better if I could get hold of a local educational psychologist to be a part of the session.

I added that it would be a good idea as it would allow me to receive feedback from students

for future development.

Nadine also said that she would email me the contact details of their educational

psychologist, as she would be able to inform me of other contacts to do with teachers

mental health training.

Conclusions: Teachers need to be trained first before mental health can be taught in schools.

And according to Andrew, mental health education would be most appropriate in citizenship

lessons.