Prioritising Mental Health at Abingdon: The Tripod Principle

Prioritising Mental Health at Abingdon: The Tripod Principle
By The Reverend Paul Gooding, Head of Wellbeing, Abingdon School

At Abingdon, our approach to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing is rooted in the “tripod principle”— a holistic framework that supports students, parents/carers, and staff. By aligning these three pillars, we create a strong foundation for the wellbeing and success of our school community, a taste of which you can see for yourself in our latest film. The leaders of our wellbeing programme are often invited to speak about the success of these interventions on local and national radio, as well as at national conferences and we are very proud of what we have achieved.

Supporting Students: A Comprehensive Framework

For our students, we have built an outstanding personal development education (RSE) program that was highly praised during our last inspection (Excellent, May 2023). This program addresses contemporary topics, incorporating student voice videos and podcasts on topics such as: navigating consent, party culture, and online safety.

We regularly invite expert speakers to complement classroom learning and host “drop-down days,” offering students opportunities to engage with professionals such as the school doctor, external nurses, people with lived experiences to share (such as gambling, struggling with mental health, or the risks of taking drugs) as well as theatre companies (such as Loudmouth Education). Our message is clear: “Speaking up is a sign of strength, and not weakness.”

Students also have access to a wide range of support services, the pastoral net is huge: in-house matrons, an experienced health centre team, School Counsellors, Tutors, an online wellbeing platform with key weblinks and up-to-date apps, Peer Support Leads, House Mentoring systems, Heads of House, and the Chaplaincy. Moreover, pretty much all staff are deployed as Tutors, meeting with students each day. We find this establishes trust and is key for getting to know the students really well.

Additionally, we regularly participate in the OxWell Survey to gain valuable insights into our students’ mental health and wellbeing. These deep dive findings shape our Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) programme, ensuring it remains relevant and responsive to our students’ ever-evolving needs in our rapidly changing world.

Finally, we have a huge variety of co-curricular activities (known at Abingdon as the Other Half) on offer – over 150 in fact! There really is something for everyone – so all can flourish and shine.

Supporting Staff: Knowledgeable and Equipped

We recognise that staff play a pivotal role in students’ mental health. All teaching and key pastoral staff have completed the 2-Day Youth Mental Health First Aid course (MHFA England), equipping them to recognise early signs of mental health concerns. Early intervention leads to better outcomes, and our commitment doesn’t stop there—key pastoral staff receive advanced mental health training on the ASIST programme.

To keep staff informed, we’ve developed a series of on-demand RSE training modules on emerging topics including INCELS, sextortion, and catfishing. These resources empower teachers to confidently address complex issues in the classroom, rather than skirting around them.

We firmly believe that “wellbeing is the canvas upon which students learn.” It is not an optional extra, but an essential foundation for academic success and healthy personal development habits for life. Consequently, we invest a great deal into this area at Abingdon, it cannot be an add-on or after thought. As a result, it pays dividends.

Supporting Parents and Carers: A Vital Partnership

Parents and carers are essential partners in fostering student wellbeing. To support them, we have partnered with the Wellbeing Hub, which offers a wealth of resources, including webinars, podcasts, and articles on topics such as online safety, healthy eating, and relationships and so much more.

By equipping parents with knowledge and tools, we help them navigate the ever-evolving teenage landscape. From countering the influence of figures like Andrew Tate to addressing risks such as gaming addiction and the accessibility of explicit content, we work together with parents to stay one step ahead.

Creating a Culture of Openness

By bringing these topics into the open and proactively engaging students, staff, and parents, we aim to normalise discussions about mental health and wellbeing. Our Sixth Form Peer Support Leads, House and School Prefects and senior students exemplify this culture, producing content to guide younger students through the challenges of adolescence. These initiatives reflect our commitment to develop students into confident mental health ambassadors of the future.

At Abingdon, we are truly proud of the vibrant, supportive community we’ve built—a community where everyone is empowered to seek help, offer support, and thrive together. We’ve also established excellent partnerships with local schools to share best practices which has enriched all that we do. This is well worth doing and hugely rewarding.