STUDENTS at Court Fields School in Wellington have a new place to turn for support with any problems they have.

The Wellbeing Hub is designed to help youngsters with everything from minor issues including lost property and first aid, to more major ones like difficulties with friendship groups and focusing in lessons, and mental health problems.

The Wellbeing Hub, officially opened by Wellington Mayor Cllr Janet Lloyd on Thursday, has first aid, relaxation, activity and craft areas, and in the next few months a sensory garden will be opened outside. It will be staffed by pastoral assistant Jo Thompson supported by Cheryl Shannon, and the safeguarding team and heads of year will spend time there.

Sarah Westwood, designated safeguarding lead at Court Fields, said: “We have moved from basically an office to the Wellbeing Hub. It’s absolutely fantastic – we wanted to create a larger safe space that students have access to, to take part in activities or to have somewhere to talk away from the playground and also to just have some quiet time if they need to.

“It’s all about prevention, not just intervention – we want to be educating our students about healthy lifestyles, not just physically but mentally. It’s not about when it’s just gone wrong – it’s about developing strategies to be day-to-day happy.

“Having this additional space and having such massive support from the community is absolutely fantastic. We want to make sure our students are safe, secure and happy at all times.”

The school is working with Sidmouth College and Exeter University on building a resilience learner programme for Year 7s, plus Wellington One Team, local councillors and police, Somerset County Council and Kooth, a free online counselling service/well-being forum.

The NHS Share project, which supports positive mental health among young people, has trained students to be well-being champions based in the Wellbeing Hub. They will be someone to talk to and possibly run activities, and raise awareness of support available to students. Student Louise Hunt is well-being student

leader.

A group of Year 8 and 9 students have done anti-bullying ambassador training and will be based in the Wellbeing Hub at breaks and lunchtimes to help students suffering with friendship or bullying issues.

Sarah added that mental health has become a big issue across society, especially among teenagers, and that awareness of it had grown considerably. Daily stresses and strains were inevitable and it was important to give students strategies to overcome those problems before they became bigger, and to promote the idea that it is good to talk and seek help.