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Pastoral Support
St Gregory's is a place of faith and learning. We place a profound emphasis on exceptional pastoral care, ensuring that every young person receives the guidance and support they need to thrive.
Supporting your child
At St Gregory's, we recognise each young person will face unique challenges - academically, socially, emotionally or developmentally - as they grow up. Our comprehensive pastoral care system is designed to support students through whatever life brings their way.
This includes building peer relationships, rewarding positive behaviour/attendance, and collaborating with external organisations for more complex issues. We aim to create a supportive, encouraging environment where happy learners can flourish.
From the start, we introduce new students to their class, give tours, and strive to make our school feel like a nurturing home and family - thriving with healthy relationships and positive influences. Our staff take the time to personally get to know each child - their interests, aspirations and hopes for the year.
Our pastoral and teaching teams take a holistic, serious approach to emotional/mental well-being. We closely collaborate with counselling services, mentoring programs, Social Services, CAMHS and more to provide comprehensive care and on-site support.
If you have any concerns about your child's mental health, please reach out to their tutor, Head of Year or email safeguarding@st-gregorys.org.uk for confidential assistance from our pastoral/safeguarding team. We are here to ensure your child's needs are fully supported during any difficult times, providing local resource contacts as needed.
In addition to contacting us you might find it useful to contact the following services for further advice and support.
There may be times when your child is feeling unhappy, anxious or is struggling emotionally. You may have noticed that they seem low or worried, unmotivated or that their behaviour changes – they may seem withdrawn or upset. Some children will be worrying about their health or the health of their loved ones. They might also be wondering how recent school closures and the pandemic will affect their education, their exam results or further education plans.
We believe in a holistic approach to our students’ wellbeing and we take the emotional and mental health of our students very seriously; our pastoral and teaching teams work hard to support our students’ emotional and mental wellbeing.
We work closely with a number of external agencies including Social Services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS), The Willow Project, Bath Area Play Project (BAPP) Mentoring Plus, Youth Connect, Project 28 (for drug and substance abuse) and many other, specialist agencies.
Focus Counselling, Off the Record and Bath Youth for Christ also offer internal, school-based listening support and counselling to our students.
If you are worried about your child’s mental health you are not alone. Many parents and carers have similar worries and stresses. If you are worried about a young person, please let us know. Your first points of contact are your child’s tutor and Head of Year.
If you have any safeguarding concerns or would like to talk in confidence to a member of the pastoral team please email talk2someone@st-gregorys.org.uk and a member of our pastoral or safeguarding team will be in touch.
In addition to contacting us you might find it useful to contact the following services for further advice and support.
School Nurse
School Nursing is a confidential service that can offer support around emotional health, anxiety, sleep, healthy lifestyles and diet, sexual health, smoking and alcohol use and much more.
The School Nurse is in school every Thursday meeting with young people and also runs a confidential drop in clinic on Thursday lunchtimes 13.30-14.10 in the Reset Room.
If you would like an appointment you can ask your child's teacher, come to the drop in clinic or text them on 07901 140987 for an appointment.
GP
Your GP can check any physical symptoms linked to your child’s health and talk with you about their emotional well-being making a referral to a specialist service if necessary.
Off the record
Off the Record provide a range of free services including counselling, listening support, youth participation, advocacy and specialist groups, support for care leavers and LGBTQ+ focused youth group. Tel 01225 312481 or text 07753 891 745 (for Listening Service).
CAMHS
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a free NHS service that assesses and treats under-18s with emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties. For more information and to make a self-referral please visit their website.
Youth Connect
Youth Connect offer a range of support, including youth work, 1-1 targeted support, careers advice and guidance.
Southside
Southside supports individuals and families living in B&NES to make positive changes to their lives. Southside is there for you whether you are grappling with problems such as domestic abuse, substance abuse, mental health difficulties or problems with finance and debt, housing issues or concerns related to education and employment.
Mentoring Plus
Mentoring Plus supports young people in B&NES who are facing challenges.
Sapling CBT
Sapling CBT is a private specialist child and adolescent Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Provider. Reduced fees and funding may be available through St John’s Foundation, which provides funding support to individuals and families in B&NES who are struggling financially.
There may be times when you or your child need to seek support but may feel you or they wish to speak to someone outside of school. The links below are provided to signpost you to a range of providers who can offer guidance, advice and additional resources.
Mental health
CAMHS Online Resources is a website for young people, carers and professional that pools together lots of helpful resources from across the internet that are available to help support your mental health and wellbeing. They also have a collection of websites for different needs and issues.
The Mix is the UK’s leading support service for young people. They can help you take on any challenge you’re facing, from mental health to money, from homelessness to finding a job, from break-ups to drugs. They offer online and social media support or a free, confidential helpline.
Boys in Mind provides resources aimed at helping reduce the stigma around male mental health issues.
Young Minds leading charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people.
Childline counselling service for children and young people provided by NSPCC. Tel: 0800 1111
Anna Freud Centre a children’s charity dedicated to providing training and support for mental health services, excellent resources.
Kooth is a free online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people.
Charlie Waller Trust offer an amazing pool of resources and training for parents whose children struggle with mental health issues – from eating disorders to depression, self harm and anxiety – look out for their free webinars, well worth signing up for!
Talking Teenagers is a podcast series comprising interviews with experts designed to help parents and pastoral leaders with some of the key issues of raising teenagers in today’s world. They are brought to you in association with I Can & I Am.
Therapy Comics mental health resources using comics instead of text.
OCD Action is a national charity that provides support and information to anyone affected by OCD.
Happy Maps lots of information about health topics.
Calmzone a toolbox of calming activities from Childline
Eating disorders
Beat website dedicated to eating disorders.
Guide to UK FREE Eating Disorders Helplines
Anxiety
Rise Above has helpful information about gaining confidence, managing anxiety and general advice from the people who’ve been there themselves.
Brave Online, online CBT for young people experiencing anxiety.
Anxiety UK offer advice and support for those suffering from anxiety and panic.
Substance misuse
Project 28 is the young people’s drug and alcohol service in B&NES. It provides advice, guidance and one-to-one sessions for young people who are having problems with drugs and/or alcohol.
FRANK offers free confidential support and advice about drugs for young people.
Re-Solv is a charity working to end solvent abuse. They offer telephone, text email and online support.
Suicide and self harm prevention
Samaritans a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress or struggling to cope. 24/7 helpline available. Tel 116 123
Harmless provides a range of services about self harm and suicide prevention including support, information and training to people who self harm, their friends and families.
National Self Harm Network offers support forums in a safe environment that can help people understand and manage self-harm.
Papyrus is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide.
No Harm Done is a project run by Young Minds aimed at young people who self harm or are at risk of self harming, their parents and the professionals working with them.
Bereavement
Winston’s Wishes support children and young people after the death of a parent or sibling.
Cruse bereavement support via phone call, chat services.
HopeAgain is the youth website of Cruse, where you can learn from other young people how to cope with grief and feel less alone.
Good Grief bereavement support, practical and emotional support.