Mental Health & Wellbeing

At Leeds City Academy we are committed to working towards creating a world-class provision to support all our learners with their mental health and wellbeing. We have an extensive DNA curriculum that is rich in support, and we have internal and external professionals who work outside the classroom to help those students who may require additional support.

Please take a look at the biographies from the Wellbeing Team below. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to ask about getting support. We have also provided some information on other services that may be helpful.

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Team

Counselling:

Counselling (or therapy) provides a safe and confidential space to talk to a trained professional about any issues and concerns – for example, relationships, loss, identity, mental health, abuse, school worries, or your hopes for life. It’s a regular time to get to know all of who you are.

The Counsellor will help a young person to explore their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours so they can develop a better understanding of themselves and of others.

The Counsellor will not give their opinions or advice or prescribe medication. They will help a young person to find their own solutions – whether that is making effective changes in their life or finding ways of coping with their problems. Being heard and valued can help you gain control in your life, and help you work out what you want to do.

Sessions are offered weekly, lasting 50 minutes for a maximum of 12 weeks.

AJ Quarmby

Counsellor

Hello, I’m AJ. I’ve been a qualified counsellor since 2006. Before I started at LCA, I provided therapy in primary and secondary schools, and also at a college for autistic students. I spent ten years in the Early Help Service and most recently, I worked with survivors of long-term trauma and abuse.
LCA’s counselling service for students is warm and welcoming – a safe space where your voice is heard and believed, and you decide what to talk about. Not everyone is comfortable talking straightaway, so we might explore different ways to communicate – for example, drawing, or using multiple-choice questionnaires.
My approach is ‘person-centred’ – students decide what they want to talk about, and how they want to talk about it. I listen, but also show I’m listening – so a person feels heard and understood.
A counsellor helps you gain insight into your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, and how you are affected by things that happen. You are there with your consent: a counsellor will not tell you what to do. Confidentiality is crucial to this; and so is the counsellor’s acceptance – you know that whatever you talk about, it’s going to be okay.

Wellbeing Programmes:

Wellbeing programmes are offered in both one-to-one and group formats, looking at key areas: self-esteem and confidence, stress and anxiety, anger, and healthy relationships. The courses are a combination of discussion and reflections using an intervention booklet.

Some students need active breaks throughout their day to support concentration and focus, and so they can be aided with ‘sensory circuits’.

Therapeutic Story Writing is a model using the curriculum as a therapeutic context. It aims to bring psychological mindedness to support students with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Students will generally be on the SEN register and requiring support with their social, emotional or mental health, and may be selected because emotional anxiety is affecting their learning.

Mr Thompson

Wellbeing Worker

Hi there. My name is Marlon. I have studied at the University of East London. I studied Psychosocial Studies which focuses on the interrelationship between self, psyche and society and promotes a framework of understanding the interconnections between the personal and the social, inner and outer worlds, as well as the social conditions to mental health.
I have previously worked as a SOS Case worker for St Giles Trust. My role was to support young adults who were involved in county lines and post codes wars. Before St Giles Trust, I worked as a SEMH worker in a primary school for several years, supporting young children with their social, emotional and mental health needs.
My interventions within LCA use a student-centred learning approach. I think this encourages the student to take an active role rather than following what I want them to do. I find with this approach it allows the student to communicate openly and gives them the opportunity to create a learning style which benefits them.
I am grateful to be a Wellbeing Worker at Leeds City Academy and will continue to support students with their mental health and wellbeing.

Academic Mentoring:

Mentoring supports and encourages students to manage their own learning so they can make the most of their time and learning at school.

A student may only need a one-off session, or a more structured approach with several sessions focusing on how a student can overcome social or emotional obstacles to learning. An academic mentor is a trustworthy, compassionate professional who helps a student get to know themselves – providing a respectful space where a young person feels safe enough to discuss any difficulties and identify goals that mean something to them.

Mr Wilkes

Hello, I’m Mr Wilkes – I work closely with students in the Link Support Centre and as part of the wider SEN Team. I offer short-term solution-focused mentoring, and help students create SMART goals to make effective changes that support their academic life. I focus on building supportive relationships; and my hope is that the work we do together can bolster students’ self-esteem, confidence and empower them to achieve their goals.

Drawing & Talking:

Drawing and Talking is a therapeutic approach that allows students to discover and communicate emotions through a non-directive technique, setting it apart from existing solution-focused and cognitive-based therapies and interventions. Through the combination of drawing and talking, different parts of the mind interact with each other to enable symbolic and safe expression of deep worries.

Dee Danahay,
Assistant Lead of SEND

I’m Dee, I am the Assistant Lead of SEND. I have worked at LCA for eight years: I first started as a Student Support Worker, supporting students in lessons, and running interventions. I am a trained Drawing & Talking Practitioner and can provide regular sessions for students.

How to Access Support?

How to access support:

Students can refer themselves for wellbeing support by:

speaking to a trusted member of staff who can complete a referral for them
speaking to a member of the Wellbeing Team themselves

Students, and/or their parents/carers, are encouraged to speak with a member of the Wellbeing Team if they just want to find out generally about any of our services.

If a parent or carer has any specific concerns and would be interested in their child accessing wellbeing support in school, they can contact their Year Manager to discuss.

It may be that members of staff from other areas of the school, such as the Safeguarding, Attendance or SEND teams could refer a student for support.

A student will never be forced to engage with wellbeing support. If they decline, they will be advised that they can refer again in the future if they wish and their referral will be closed.

Confidentiality and record-keeping:

All members of staff in the Wellbeing Team keep case notes after each interaction with a student. These are brief factual notes about the content of the discussion.

Detailed information from the student’s support sessions will not be disclosed to any teaching staff. However, guidance may be provided to other staff if it is relevant to supporting the student in their lessons, with permission from the student.

Support from External Agencies

Below are just some of the agencies we know of that can support you and your family. If you’d like any further information or support with signposting, we would be happy to help, just give us a call.