Awarded in late 2024, this grant supports the provision of professional counselling services for students at Abbeyfield School in Chippenham.
Led by Abbeyfield School, the project funds four hours of face-to-face counselling each week with a qualified professional, addressing the growing mental health needs of young people still affected by the impact of Covid and lockdowns. The school continues to see an increase in the number of students requesting or needing to access counselling support.
While Abbeyfield already provides a pastoral leader for every year group, this funding enables them to offer specialised professional counselling services that go beyond their existing pastoral support.
The school’s commitment to exceptional teaching and learning has already led to excellent outcomes and progress for students, and this counselling service aims to further support their development by addressing mental health challenges that can affect educational performance. The professional counsellor will document the impact of the service through case studies of students accessing support.
The project seeks to improve access to mental health services, enhance overall mental wellbeing, build self-confidence and self-esteem, and ultimately improve educational performance by providing timely support to students facing emotional and psychological challenges.
