Bishop Wand and St Saviours Church Sunbury working together to help students manage anxiety

The Bishop Wand Church of England School and St Saviour’s Church, Sunbury, work together to run a group called ReMind* which gives tools to help students manage their anxiety.

Heads of Year identify students who may benefit. They are then invited, in consultation with their parents, to participate in the group once a week for 9 weeks. ReMind works best for young people of similar ages in a group of up to 10. The course is based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy, encouraging young people to reflect on how they are feeling and challenging them to think more positively about situations.  A range of activities are used to help the young people understand different concepts and ideas which will help them. There is also a workbook they can use.  The course provides a safe space for students to talk about their feelings and be listened to and supported. Parents are emailed after each session with some of the key resources and information so they can use this in the support of their child.

The school has noted how parents have commented that students have shown greater confidence and resilience.  One Head of Year said, ‘I have seen a great improvement in my student’s willingness to engage in conversation since the start of the year’.  The students have commented, ‘This has helped with my anxiety’, and ReMind ‘has helped me to be more confident in stressful situations’.

* The ReMind programme grew out of an identified need for early intervention in supporting young people who struggle with heightened anxiety. It aims to equip young people who exhibit early signs of anxiety with a range of tools to better enable them to cope with the stresses of everyday life, thus averting the development of potentially more harmful anxiety issues. For further details see:  http://www.remind-course.uk/