This grant will provide ongoing support for the mental health and wellbeing of pupils at Hardenhuish School in Chippenham, enabling the continuation of their in-school counselling provision for a further three years.
The school is experiencing a high demand for its counselling service due to long waiting lists for external mental health support and the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Currently, the school employs two counsellors who provide one-to-one support for students struggling with a range of issues including anxiety, low self-esteem, exam stress, family problems and body image concerns.
Any pupil at Hardenhuish can be referred to the counselling service, with referrals made by teachers, pastoral staff, parents, or the pupils themselves. The counselling service aims to:
- Improve pupils’ mental health and wellbeing
- Increase self-confidence and self-esteem
- Improve educational engagement and performance
While the school works closely with external agencies such as CAMHS and the Mental Health Support Team, the waiting times for these services can be up to two years, making in-school support essential.
The funding will ensure that this vital provision continues, complementing the school’s own financial contribution to the service. The need for this support is evidenced by the consistently high number of referrals received over the past year, reflecting a national trend of increasing mental health challenges among young people. This project builds on previous CBLC funding awarded to Hardenhuish School for their counselling service, which has demonstrated significant positive outcomes for students in need of mental health support.
We are grateful to Chippenham Borough Lands for their continuing support with the mental health of our pupils.
