Wellbeing
at John Taylor Free School
Supporting Student Wellbeing
Supporting student wellbeing is central to life at John Taylor Free School. We are committed to promoting emotional, social and mental health so that students feel safe, supported and able to succeed and thrive.
This page outlines the wellbeing support available across the Main School and Post‑16, and how families can access help when it is needed.
Our Whole-School Approach to Wellbeing
We take a proactive approach to promoting positive mental health, kindness and respect. Support is woven through assemblies, tutor time, enrichment, fundraising and partnerships with external organisations specialising in mental health and wellbeing.
Working with Parents and Carers
We work closely with parents and carers to support student wellbeing and recognise the importance of strong communication between home and school.
If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing, we encourage you to contact the school so we can work together to provide the right support. In most cases, your child’s Personal Tutor or Progress Leader will be the first point of contact.
We are here to support both students and families and will always aim to work in partnership with you.
Who Can Students Talk To?
Students at John Taylor Free School have access to a wide range of support and are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult whenever they need help or guidance. Students can speak to:
- Their Personal Tutor
- The Student Support Team
- Their Progress Leader
- Any member of staff they feel comfortable talking to
Contacting Personal Tutors
Personal Tutors are the first point of contact for day‑to‑day pastoral matters. Parents and carers are encouraged to use the school’s agreed communication routes when getting in touch.
Mental Health First Aiders
Mental Health First Aiders are trained members of staff who provide a supportive first point of contact for anyone experiencing emotional or mental health concerns.They listen, offer initial support and help connect students with further support within school or from external services where appropriate.
Information about our Mental Health First Aiders is shared with students in school and can also be provided to families on request.
Anti-Bullying at JTFS
The phrase may sound simple, but that’s intentional. Most people know when someone is being kind to them, and most people know how to show kindness to others. However, making positive choices and setting a good example takes effort, particularly in a world where social media is always present.
We want every student to feel safe, valued and respected as part of our school community. If a student has a concern, we encourage them to tell us as early as possible so that we can help.
Students can speak to their Personal Tutor, Progress Leader, Student Support Officer or any member of staff. Families can also contact us directly if they have concerns about something that has happened in school or online.
Young people are continually learning how to build positive relationships, manage disagreements and respond to different viewpoints. Sometimes situations can be handled poorly or escalate unnecessarily. When concerns are reported promptly, staff can often help resolve issues before they become more serious.
What is Bullying?
When concerns are raised early, staff can usually help students understand what has gone wrong, repair relationships and move forward positively. When issues are not reported, they can sometimes continue, repeat or become more complex as other students become involved.
Bullying is a form of child-on-child abuse involving repeated, intentional behaviour that causes harm or distress. We help students recognise bullying using the acronym STOP:
Several
Times
On
Purpose
Reporting Concerns
We encourage students to report concerns as early as possible.
Concerns can be shared with:
- Personal Tutors
- Progress Leaders
- Student Support Officers
- The Safeguarding Team
- Any member of staff
Early reporting allows staff to investigate concerns, support those involved and prevent issues from escalating.
What Happens Next?
- Take all reports seriously
- Investigate promptly and establish the facts
- Provide support and reassurance to students affected
- Work with all parties involved to address concerns
- Apply appropriate sanctions where necessary
- Involve parents and carers where appropriate
- Monitor situations closely to ensure issues do not continue
Working Together
Parents and carers can help by:
- Speaking regularly with their child about school life
- Encouraging concerns to be reported promptly
- Encouraging students to seek staff support rather than attempting to resolve issues themselves
- Supporting safe and responsible online behaviour
- Contacting the school if they have concerns about their child’s wellbeing
Working together helps us ensure that all students feel safe, supported and able to thrive.
First Aid and Medical Support
Health and wellbeing are supported during the school day through a dedicated First Aid provision, which responds to injuries, incidents and medical needs.
Medication in school
All student medication is stored securely in a locked cabinet in the medical room. The exception to this is where students have agreed arrangements to carry their own inhalers or epipens.
Medication is only administered in school where written parental consent has been provided, and all arrangements are recorded in line with health and safety requirements.
If students are running low on medication and need to bring additional supplies into school, they should hand this in at Reception on arrival, where it will be passed to a member of the First Aid team.
What First Aid can support
- Minor injuries such as knocks, scrapes, bumps, bruises and cuts
- Sprains, fractures and suspected breaks
- Muscle and joint injuries
- Burns and scalds
- Response to incidents such as fainting, choking or allergic reactions
- Safe storage and administration of medication sent into school
- Ongoing support for medical needs where the school has been informed
- Risk assessments for students returning to school following injury (e.g. use of crutches or slings)
What First Aid does not support
In line with guidance, First Aid provision does not routinely support the following unless medication has been provided and agreed:
- Headaches or stomach aches where medication is not held in school
- Period pain where medication is not held in school
- Ongoing medical issues following a GP visit where the school has not been informed
- Anxiety, unless medication has been provided and agreed
Period Products
We want all students to feel comfortable, supported and ready to learn throughout the school day. Free period products are available in school for any student who needs them.
Students can speak in confidence to their Personal Tutor, a member of the Pastoral Team, their Head of Year, First Aid or Reception to access support and supplies. We are committed to ensuring that no student’s education is disrupted because they do not have access to period products.
Exam Wellbeing Support
Exams can be a challenging time for both students and families. Support is available throughout the year to help manage pressure, build resilience and approach exams with confidence. Guidance can be accessed through Personal Tutors, Student Support, Progress Leaders and Mental Health First Aiders.
The Peer Education Project
The Peer Education Project supports wellbeing by encouraging open conversations about mental health and helping young people develop the skills to support themselves and others.
Older students are trained to deliver sessions to younger year groups, promoting understanding, empathy and positive mental health across the school community.
External Wellbeing and Mental Health Support
Additional wellbeing and mental health support is available through a range of trusted external services offering advice, guidance and specialist help.
If support is needed outside of school, the following services may be useful:
Advice, guidance and emotional wellbeing
These organisations offer advice, guidance and information to support emotional wellbeing for children, young people and families.
One‑to‑one and specialist mental health support
These services offer direct support for children and young people who may need additional help with their mental health or emotional wellbeing.
Online safety and reporting concerns
These services provide advice and support around online safety, including reporting concerns about harmful or inappropriate content.
Urgent and crisis support
These services offer urgent or crisis support for young people or adults who may be experiencing significant emotional distress.
Staffordshire County Council and Derbyshire County Council also provide enhanced support for children who are resident in either county. Depending on circumstances, JTFS may directly contact these organisations or signpost families to them.
For families of children resident in Staffordshire, this provision comes through the Staffordshire Families Integrated Front Door.
The Derbyshire Starting Point provides support for families of children resident in Derbyshire.