Who we are…
Framlingham College & South Lee Prep School are thriving independent boarding and prep schools in Suffolk.
Where we were…the challenge.
“During Covid, particular sections of our school were really struggling. We had a disproportionately high level of girls in Year 7 who were reaching out to us as teaching staff needing support for low mood, anxiety, self-harm, depression and overwhelm following the long periods of isolation during lockdown.
But we didn’t feel equipped with the knowledge or confidence to support them.”
What we did…and how?
“We initially got Anita on board as a brilliant trainer for Mental Health First Aiders.
As a staff, we enjoyed sessions that were both informative and relevant. She was incredibly knowledgeable and able to answer all our questions about areas of concern or particular interest.
Because this was such a positive session for us all, we invited Anita to run some further training on adolescent mental health in INSET to all staff. The messages she shared were incredibly relevant to anyone working with young people.
Anita also ran a two-hour workshop for the girls to teach them about their adolescent brains, the background to how their hormones will impact them, and how to look after their own mental health.
The girls really benefitted from this session and it was fantastic to be able to create such a bespoke mix of targeted training to bring everything together.”
The results
“By being able to better understand the reasons behind the feelings they were having, the girls were able to develop strategies and support systems. And we, as staff, felt better prepared and more confident to support them.
There was a noticeable positive impact.
I’ve recently moved schools and once again invited Anita in to talk to staff about the adolescent brain and pupil mental health, and to give staff some reflection time on how to approach the issues we now regularly face in schools. The session was brilliantly delivered once again, with interactive elements and thought-provoking videos.
Anita’s deep understanding of the way the adolescent brain works, and the impact this has on behaviour and mindset is extraordinary. Along with her unique talent for explaining it all in relevant terms to us as practising teachers.”
“I would recommend Anita most highly to any educational setting, or for anyone working with young people. She makes you think about your own practice, challenges the way you think about a child’s behaviour and even your own parenting! She also helps to contextualise the frustrations that many teachers share about the change in young people’s outlook and behaviour and offers strategies to relieve this frustration.”
Jo Coventry-King
Head of South Lee Prep School in Bury St Edmunds
