At St. John Fisher, we are dedicated to promoting and supporting positive mental health and well-being across our entire school community. We recognise that pupils' emotional well-being is closely tied to their academic success, and we are committed to providing the resources and support necessary for pupils to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
To further support our students, all pupils who attend St. John Fisher have access to our dedicated pupil website, which offers a variety of helpful tools and information. This website is available to pupils during periods when the school is closed, ensuring they always have support at their fingertips.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Our Therapy Dogs Arlo and Monty
We are lucky to have two therapy dogs, Arlo and Monty, who are an essential part of our pastoral team. They spend most of their time in the Pastoral Hub supporting pupils who may be feeling upset or worried. Pupils love spending time with Arlo and Monty during break and lunch times, and these four-legged friends contribute to our calming school environment. It has been proven that animals have a positive effect on well-being, and we are incredibly fortunate to have them as part of our team.
The Pastoral Hub team
Our Pastoral Hub team is passionate about supporting students through a wide range of challenges, including bereavement, mental health issues, and bullying. The team’s experience and commitment to providing personalised support, both internally and through external agencies such as Wigan Family Welfare, ensure that all students feel valued and cared for during their time at St. John Fisher. If you feel that your child may benefit from regular one-to-one check-ins or specific interventions, please contact your child’s Head of Year.
Counselling Support
At St. John Fisher, all pupils have access to counselling support when needed, thanks to our two dedicated school counsellors. We strongly believe it is important for pupils to have various forms of support available during tough times. Pupils can be referred to this service through their Pastoral Coordinator or Head of Year, following discussions and parental consent.
If you feel your child may benefit from counselling support, please contact the school to discuss this further with your child’s Pastoral Coordinator or Head of Year.
SEMH Lead Learning Support Assistant (LSA)
We now have a Social, Emotional, Mental Health (SEMH) Lead LSA who works within our SEND, Pastoral, and Inclusion departments. This role supports students across all year groups who may be struggling with social, emotional, or mental health barriers.
Our SEMH Lead delivers bespoke interventions such as Block Therapy, Zones of Regulation, Social Stories, Talk and Do, and sensory groups for ASD students. We also provide one-to-one support for individual needs, focusing on strategies for improving self-perception, self-esteem, and managing anxieties.
Students are identified for these interventions through a referral system involving Heads of Year and Pastoral Coordinators (The Hub), and parents will be informed if their child is identified as needing support. These interventions are making a positive impact on our students, and we hope to introduce more resources to continue this ongoing support.
Thrive School
We are immensely proud to announce that St. John Fisher is now a Thrive school. Thrive is currently being embedded across our school to provide a whole-school approach to mental health. We have two trained Thrive practitioners: Miss L. Callaghan (School Chaplain) and Miss S. Swift (SEMH Lead LSA).
The Thrive approach aims to further support students struggling with social and emotional development.
Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
We work closely with the Mental Health Support Team (MHST) to provide mental health services for students and families. The Mental Health Support Team in Schools (MHST) is an NHS service that works alongside selected schools in Wigan to deliver three core functions:
How does MHST support St. John Fisher?
The Wigan MHST team supports St. John Fisher by:
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Providing one-to-one and group interventions for children and young people.
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Delivering a range of educational workshops to students, parents/carers, and staff to help understand mental health and useful strategies for managing it.
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Meeting regularly with key staff to offer advice and help identify additional or alternative services.
MHST Support Areas
Wigan MHST can support the following difficulties:
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Worry, specific anxiety, low mood, phobias, and sleep difficulties.
Interventions typically consist of 6-8 sessions delivered in school on a weekly basis for children and young people aged 7-18.
Referrals to MHST are made through the school with a referral form, signed parental consent, and appropriate questionnaires.
Meet the Team
The MHST team is made up of various practitioners who work across the Wigan Borough and may support St. John Fisher at different times.
Current key MHST contacts for St John Fisher are:
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Sarah Abbott – Education Mental Health Practitioner (EMHP)
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Nicola Diggle – Mental Health Practitioner (MHP)
How to Get Help
If you are concerned about your child’s mental health and well-being, please reach out to your child’s form tutor, who may refer to the Pastoral Coordinator or Head of Year for further support. All pastoral staff are trained to identify mental health and well-being concerns early on and have the skills and knowledge to offer appropriate guidance, support, and interventions.
Access Resources and Further Support
By clicking the links below, you can access helpful resources, information, and further support. Please do not hesitate to speak out and ask for help.
