Wellbeing and Mental Health

Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

5 steps to mental wellbeing

At Chilwell School, we take metal health very seriously. We invite outside speakers into the sixth form to talk to students about ways to cope with stress. Having a tutor who meets with you every day has been found to be invaluable in terms of noticing signs of stress and changes in behaviour. This is why we ensure students have regular morning meetings and a 1-1 interview at least once a term with their tutor.

Being a small sixth form means we have time to speak to individual students and we are able to sign post them to appropriate agencies or websites. The advice below is our starting point for all students:

Evidence suggests there are 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing:

If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.

• Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships. Learn more in Connect for mental wellbeing.
• Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Learn more in Get active for mental wellbeing.
• Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike? Find out more in Learn for mental wellbeing.
• Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks. Learn more in Give for mental wellbeing.
• Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges. Learn more in Mindfulness for mental wellbeing.