At The Nobel School , we’re recognising Mental Health Awareness Month, with a special focus on Mental Health Awareness Week (13–19 May). This is a time for all of us—students, teachers, and families—to learn more about mental health and how we can support ourselves and each other.
💬 What Is Mental Health?
Mental health is all about how we feel, think, and cope with life. Just like physical health, we all have mental health—and sometimes, we might struggle. Feeling anxious before a test, overwhelmed by changes, or sad after a tough day is completely normal. But if these feelings last a long time, it’s important to talk about them.
🚨 Why It Matters
- 1 in 4 people in the UK experience a mental health problem each year.
- Many young people face pressure from school, social media, or personal challenges.
- Talking about mental health helps break the stigma and reminds us we’re not alone.
💬 What We’ve Learned This Week
In assemblies, we’ve discussed how:
- Healthy relationships can make us feel supported, safe, and confident
- Unhealthy relationships—whether with friends, family, or online—can cause stress, anxiety, or low self-esteem
- Setting boundaries, being kind, and speaking up when something doesn’t feel right are important for our mental health
🌱 The Five Ways to Wellbeing at Nobel
Here’s how students, parents and staff can take care of their mental health using the Five Ways to Wellbeing:
- Connect – Spend time with friends and family. Talk, listen, and build strong relationships.
- Be Active – Walk, run, dance, play sports—physical activity helps lift your mood.
- Take Notice – Be mindful. Pause and appreciate the moment, your surroundings, and how you feel.
- Keep Learning – Try something new. Learning boosts confidence and gives a sense of purpose.
- Give – Do something kind for someone else. Helping others can make you feel happier and more connected.
🧰 Where to Find Support
If you’re struggling or just need someone to talk to, help is always available:
- Childline – 0800 1111 or visit childline.org.uk
- Samaritans – 116 123 (24/7 for any age)
- SHOUT – Text “SHOUT” to 85258 for free support
- Speak to a trusted adult – a teacher, school counsellor, or your parent/carer
- Check out The Mental Health Hub
🌟 Final Message
Mental health is just as important as physical health. This month is a great time to start talking, listening, and supporting each other. Let’s make our school a place where everyone feels safe, valued, and cared for—inside and out.
The Mental Health Team.
‘Understanding Trauma’ Programme for Parents in Herts whose children have experienced sexual abuse
Trauma Recovery CIC’s Butterflies Community are able to offer a funded 6 session Understanding Trauma Programme for Parents in Herts whose children have experienced sexual abuse, with the option of joining a peer support group after.
It’s a free, psychoeducational programme that offers an opportunity for parents to become empowered by understanding their child’s trauma, and become equipped with tools and support to aid their child’s and their own healing – see full info in attached flyer below (Parents group Feb 25 info)
- First session is 28th February 2025 (online)
- Parents/Carers self refer via the link on the attached information flyer (Parents group Feb 25 info)
Please disseminate the Parents group flyer to appropriate teams and Colleagues to share with parents /carers that may want to access the support.
Resilience. Find ways to bounce back
“If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it” – this poster relates to Resilience, one of the Ten Keys to Happier Living. See Find ways to bounce back for more information.
Learn more – GREAT DREAM
With Youth online groups
With Youth’s digital wellbeing service for 5–18-year-olds have their free online groups for ages 7-12 and 13+ re-starting at the end of September. Topics will include:
- Understanding emotions
- Friendships
- Coping strategies
- Self-care
- Changes
- Identity
- Building self-esteem and much more!
Some quotes from young people who joined previous 7-12 and 13+ age online groups:
‘I grew more confident with talking to people’
‘It was good and helpful. I learnt a lot.’
Wellbeing Book Club
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) is excited to introduce its newest project. A wellbeing book club!
Reading is a great way to relax and has positive benefits for our mental health too! Research has found that reading helps to reduce stress, increase concentration and combat insomnia. Reading with your child not only strengthens the parent-child bond but also helps children to develop empathy and emotional awareness, teaching children that it is okay to feel emotions and how to cope with their feelings in healthy ways.
What’s not to love?
At the start of each school term we will be releasing a MHST Book Club Newsletter which will have 4 book recommendations (don’t worry you don’t have to read them all!) that deal with the topic of mental health and wellbeing for all ages, along with some conversational prompts and questions to get you thinking!
If you want to get involved and sign up to the newsletter, please click on the following link
Lumi Nova provides NICE recommended, digital therapy for childhood anxiety.
Proudly funded and commissioned by the NHS and Local Authorities, Lumi Nova provides children aged 7-12 with instant access to support and the tools to build skills for lifelong self-management of anxiety.
Wellbeing – The 5 Ways to Wellbeing
Following the Wellbeing Coffee Morning please find attached Mr Camps presentation.
The Nobel 5 Ways to Wellbeing
- Keep learning – Lessons, hobbies, extracurricular, anything that interest you.
- Connect – It’s good to talk!
- Take Notice – time for you, reset and go again.
- Give.
- Be Active – stay fit and strong, exercise improves mood.
Parenting can be a challenge, but Nessie can help!
Helping young people to overcome worries and problems can be difficult for parents/carers to manage, especially at this time of year when young people are going back to school or college, or if other changes are happening. It can often be helpful to talk these issues through with someone who understands and knows what might help.
This autumn Nessie’s free (NHS funded) Parenting Support Service is offering a range of support for parents of children who might be struggling to attend school or college, self-harming, experiencing bullying or any other problems that are adversely affecting their emotional wellbeing/mental health:
Dear Parent/Carers,
On Wednesday 23rd April 2025, from 9am to 1pm Hertfordshire’s Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services system are hosting a free, morning conference and invite mental health, social care, health and education professionals to explore themes and topics which support ‘curating resilience’ This event is being held at the Weston Auditorium, University of Hertfordshire.
Resilience and the ability to adapt to change both daily, and over time affects everyone; our children, families, the workforce and our mental health system as a whole. Throughout the morning, hear from a range of experienced speakers on their approaches to teaching, supporting and learning from others, while acknowledging that we are already, highly resilient – we just don’t always realise.
At the interval, enjoy refreshments while networking and sharing with other system professionals in the foyer, before returning to your seat for part two!
You can book your seat by clicking on the image, or using the link below. Please limit your bookings to two per service.
In the days after the opening event, a range of virtual sessions will be available for professionals to dial into, and take a more in depth look at some of the most prominent issues. These bitesize webinars will showcase case studies, good practice and practical application of services and approaches that support children’s mental health.
Information on these sessions will be shared in the coming weeks.
*The conference is free to attend however parking is chargeable at £2 per person. Further information will be shared in the joining instructions.
Please direct all queries to schoolsmh@hertfordshire.gov.uk.
Bereavement Support
The links below are available to all in times of bereavement for support.
Links
Mental Health is very different to Mental Health Illness
Generally, the difference between poor mental health and a mental illness is the nature of and degree to which the difficulties someone is experiencing are having on their wellbeing and functioning (socially, occupationally and academically).
NHS Stevenage Mental Health Support Team
Mental health services and contact information within the Stevenage area.
Learn More
NESSIE
Nessie is a not for profit, independent therapy organisation that focuses on helping children and young people (0 – 25 years) thrive.
Learn More
The Sandbox
Award winning digital mental health support for Children and Young People
Learn More
New Sandbox resources on using more thoughtful mental health language
Neurodiversity Support Hub
The neurodiversity support hub is an advice service offering support, signposting and guidance about a whole range of things relating to ADHD and Autism.
Learn More
Understanding Emotional Based School Avoidance & Guide for Parents (EBSA)
This guidance is primarily aimed at parents and carers of children who are at the early stages of EBSA – those for whom school is just beginning to be a major source of anxiety and attendance a cause for concern. The strategies discussed may be less relevant to children who have not attended school for considerable periods of time due to their very severe anxiety. These young people may need the support of health professionals to manage their anxiety before they are able to make a successful return to education
Learn More
MHST Hertfordshire & West Essex – Riding the Wave of Emotion
Emotion is often defined as a complex state of feeling that results in physical and psychological changes that influence thought and behaviour.
Supporting Links – Course Brochure Autumn 2024
Free online and face to face parent courses through Supporting Links starting in the Autumn term, click on the link below.
Mental Health Support Team – Workshop on Managing Exam Stress
Bereavement Support Services
hyh – Herts Young Homeless
Services for Young People
Coming soon –
Mental Health Awareness Week 12-18 May 2025
Supporting Links – Courses & Workshops
We are a local Social Enterprise, providing parenting support through courses, workshops and 1:1 mentoring of parents and children throughout Hertfordshire and the surrounding area.
Learn More
Anxiety – resources on how to help deal with periods of anxiety.
Self-esteem – resources on how to help deal with your self esteem.
Low mood/Depression – resources on how to help deal with low mood/Depression.
Self-harm – resources on how to help deal with low self-harm.
Anger – resources on how to help deal with anger.
