Pastoral support at Birchwood High School aims to provide students with a sense of community, inclusion and responsibility. Interventions are designed to assist in building resilience and self-awareness so that they may develop the confidence to navigate life.

We have designed these pages to introduce you to our Pastoral Team and provide an overview of how we support students who are experiencing difficulties.

Our most valuable resource in addressing the pastoral needs of students is our staff. The role of the Form Tutor is essential in providing that day to day contact with a member of staff who knows the student best.

Parents, carers and students can contact the Form Tutor in the first instance to raise any concerns. Any issues that cannot be managed by the Form Tutor will then be escalated to the student’s Head of Year.

CMO, CRS, WSK, RNT, MLY, CHI, JCT, ITE, Debbie Le Gallienne (Attendance), Joe Harlow (School Counsellor), Georgia Willsmore (Behavioural/Student Support)

JEPECA, SAFE SPACE (Counselling in Schools), Stort Valley Mentoring

Fusion is Birchwood’s equality group, celebrating difference and diversity in our learning community. We meet weekly on a Tuesday lunchtime in D4. By coming to Fusion, students have the opportunity to go on relevant trips and attend speaker events (recently hearing Peter Tatchell and Olympic gold medalist Kate Richardson Walsh speak about their experience of being LGBT+), whilst also providing a regular space for students to meet their peers and create a supportive network within school. Being part of Fusion enables students to play an active role in school community through engaging in fundraising activities and ensuring that an attitude of acceptance and respect for all remains a central part of life at Birchwood.

A young carer is someone who helps care for a relative with a disability, illness, mental health issue, or a drug or alcohol problem. Birchwood Young Carers meet once a week on a Wednesday lunchtime in A3. This is an opportunity for students to chat with a member of staff about any issues they might be having, as well as having some time with peers who have similar caring responsibilities, playing games and chilling out. Any student is welcome to come along and be part of the group – whether they are a young carer or whether they would like to be a Birchwood Young Carer Ambassador and help raise the profile of young carers within school.

Many parents and carers feel out of their depth when faced with their child’s distress, particularly if this has started to affect their day to day functioning. For example, expressing their distress through self-harm or avoidant behaviour. Being well informed about the nature of their difficulties and having strategies for helping your child manage them more effectively can significantly impact the outcomes for both yourself and your child. Below are a number of useful links to access this information and advice.

General Mental Health:

Healthy Young Minds in Herts

Young Minds

Charlie Waller

CAMHS Resources – Websites

Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families

Eating Disorders:

Beat Eating Disorders

Drug and Alcohol Misuse:

Talk to Frank

Some resources for home:

Anxiety is the most common reason given for prolonged absence from school. Understanding the anxiety cycle is crucial in breaking unhelpful behaviours.

• Anxiety Cycle
• Coping Skills – Anxiety

It can be helpful to view mental health in a similar way to physical health. We all know the key ingredients to enjoying good physical health (diet, exercise, sleep etc). The five ways to wellbeing identifies the key ingredients to enjoying good mental health.

• Five Ways to Wellbeing

Some students experience problematic levels of stress. The stress bucket can be a useful tool in identifying helpful and unhelpful habits associated with stress and give the young person a useful reference guide to managing it more effectively.

• Stress Bucket