St Catherine's School | Wellbeing at St Catherine's

St Catherine’s is an inclusive community where we are committed to supporting the wellbeing, personal development and mental health of our students. We believe in creating a culture which supports the physical, social, intellectual, emotional and spiritual development of each girl.

Wellbeing is at the core of everything we do at St Catherine’s on a daily basis, both inside and outside the classroom. We believe that an holistic approach to wellbeing is key to our student’s happiness and success.

A sense of belonging and feeling part of a community in which they are valued is a vital starting point and our House system is a crucial way in which we achieve this. The vertical mix of students provides a wonderfully nurturing and enriching environment in which the girls support one another.

Furthermore, through involvement in our extra-curricular activities the girls meet those who share a common interest, find a sense of belonging and forge life-long friendships. The School offers over 100 such Clubs, ranging from Dog club to Coding, Lacrosse to Frisbee and Choir to Textiles. The girls are spoilt for choice.

Physical activity for all girls is crucial, having a positive impact upon mood, sleep quality, stress and energy levels. With over 19 different sports played at School, over 100 teams coached per week, 14 specialist sports staff on site, a state of the art sports hall offering flexible basketball, volleyball, netball and badminton courts, all of our girls remain active both within the school timetable and beyond. There is a physical activity to suit everyone at St Catherine’s whether that be taking part in a sport competitively, or choosing a more mindful activity such as yoga.

We always encourage our girls to take notice and be mindful. The curriculum at St Catherine’s includes ‘Life Matters’ which focuses on all aspects of positive mental health. It is crucial that girls are encouraged to be aware of, and enjoy what is happening around them on a daily basis; to take notice. This encourages a calmer environment in which they are more self-aware and able to make positive choices.

The experience of learning itself is also key as it enhances self-esteem and has a positive impact on social interactions among the girls. Whilst this may sound rather self-evident for a school such as St Catherine’s, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that learning should also be fun. We want our girls to enjoy the learning experience itself so that they continue to learn throughout their lives. Encouraging our girls to try something which might feel outside their comfort zone is also important as it expands their horizons and builds resilience along the way.

The importance of giving back to the wider community is something that is an integral part of the School’s ethos. We are extremely proud of the fact that we have three Sixth Form fundraising groups - the Charities Board, Community Board and the Philanthropy Board, and numerous other fundraising groups through the School Houses.

By embracing these principles we hope that all of our girls will have a positive, happy and successful career at St Catherine’s.

Mrs Kirsty Meredith - Senior Housemistress

THE SCHOOL HOUSE SYSTEM

The School House system is the heartbeat of St Catherine’s. Every student, day girl or boarder, is allocated to one of the six houses. Each House is made up of students from U3 to U6, a vertical mix which is wonderfully enriching, giving each girl the opportunity to make her own valued contribution in a variety of areas: music, sport, art, drama. Within each House, girls look out for each other and as they rise up through the years. Those at the top look after and look out for their younger ‘sisters’, working as inspirational role models to them and in turn, they aspire to take their place as leaders one day.

HOUSEMISTRESS/ HOUSEMASTER

We know that girls will face their personal and academic challenges as they pass through their teenage years and the pastoral team of Housemistresses / Housemaster and Tutors, within a strong House system, are there to support and guide their tutees. Each girl’s Housemistress / Housemaster will have oversight for the seven years of her senior schooling, assisted in day-today supervision of registration and tutor times by the team of house tutors. We also believe in building strong relationships with pupils and parents so that we can work most effectively as a team to ensure the best experience for each individual.

HOUSE TUTOR

The House Tutors alongside the Housemistress/Housemaster get to know their girls very well and so are able to offer support swiftly when the need arises.  The House Tutor looks after each girl’s academic and personal welfare, ensuring that she is happy, achieving her best academically and developing into a well-rounded individual who will make a positive difference to the world around her. We believe in the importance of regular contact and dialogue with the girls to ensure a strong and trusting relationship is forged. Tutors are also the first contact point for parents.

ART YOUR DAUGHTER’S SUPPORT NETWORK OUR HOLISTIC APPROACH TO WELLBEING

The role of art in mental health and everyday wellbeing cannot be underestimated and as such we positively encourage students to use all of our art facilities whenever they have a free period, or after school and wish to immerse themselves in such activities, whether they may be studying the subject or not. Full rein is given to creativity in every possible dimension, with experimentation and personal development of ideas actively encouraged. Art is celebrated everywhere in the school and we are proud of our numerous artist-inresidence murals and installations and A2 student art commissions. It is a recognised fact that art has a strong positive impact upon the environment in which we operate, and by improving the aesthetics of our surroundings everyone’s wellbeing is improved.

The department is based in the Art & MakerSpace at the John Palmer Centre. There are dedicated studios for Ceramics, a state of the art Photography Studio and Darkroom and a beautiful Sixth Form Studio as well as a large, bright main Art Studio. There is also a gallery at the heart of the building that hosts regular exhibitions of students work as well as that of visiting Artists.

MUSIC

St Catherine’s enjoys a strong reputation for the excellence, inclusivity and variety of its music. All girls are encouraged to get involved, and there are performing opportunitiessolo and ensemble - to cater for all abilities and tastes. Academic music lessons focus on listening and appraising skills as well as composition and performance.

Around 600 individual music lessons are given every week by a team of over 30 visiting Music Teachers, and the School provides opportunities for all girls to play and sing in the many choral and instrumental ensembles on offer. These include nine choirs, the Symphony Orchestra, Camerata (the school’s top string ensemble), String Orchestra, Concert Band, Wind Band, Flute Choir, Brass Ensemble, Jazz Band, Harp Ensemble, Fife & Drum Band, rock bands and numerous chamber groups. Senior Choir, Camerata, Concert Band and Jazz Band also make regular overseas tours. There are musical opportunities available to suit everyone and which provide a wonderful way to immerse and stimulate the girls encouraging a sense of belonging and providing an environment of mutual support. Music is a healthy pastime involving physical effort as well as creativity. It is an acknowledged fact that music can help boost the memory, build endurance, lift your mood, reduce anxiety and improve self-esteem and confidence.

DRAMA

Drama plays a huge part in life at St Catherine’s, both on the timetable and as a very popular extra-curricular activity. It has long been acknowledged that the study of drama within school has wide-reaching benefits including improving self-confidence, empathy, concentration, wellbeing, problem solving, trust, memory, the improvement of verbal and non-verbal skills, emotional expression and the creation of friendship bonds. Whilst collaborating on group productions, whether as part of academic study or during extracurricular clubs, girls learn to work effectively in a team and bring to life their own creative concepts. All girls are encouraged to become involved in an aspect of Drama which they are passionate about or challenged by. Not all students, for example, want to take part as performers so they choose to acquire talents as stage managers, puppeteers, or tech crew. Most importantly they can enjoy a space where they can just ‘be’.

The girls take pride in representing our School across all sports and in all abilities. Our ethos is to ensure that we provide a positive and engaging environment which allows for all girls to develop a love of sport; not only whilst at School, but throughout their lives, whether through recreational activities and fitness, or within a more competitive sporting environment. We believe that sport should be fully inclusive.

We help girls to find ‘their’ place in sport whether it be mainstream sports like netball or lacrosse, joining the gymnastic or equestrian team, or just having fun in more recreational sports, such as badminton and ultimate frisbee. Our extensive extra-curricular programme allows the girls every opportunity to participate in all our main sports to suit their timetables alongside their Sports curriculum-based lessons.

Physical Education not only helps girls to develop their talents, but also promotes a healthy lifestyle. Resilience, discipline, dedication, teamwork, leadership, challenge, respect, perseverance, balance and time management, friendships, memories and the value of commitment are all nurtured and developed over time.

SPORT SPACE TO BREATHE

St Catherine’s is located, at the heart of Bramley village within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The School sits in 25 acres, which allows the girls to take part in a wide variety of activities without the need to travel away from School. However, and perhaps more importantly, it gives the girls space to talk to friends, play, relax and just be.

STUDENT SUPPORT

At St Catherine’s, our Life Matters curriculum (PSHE) makes girls aware of both the physical and emotional aspects of maintaining positive mental health. Fundamental to students’ well-being is an understanding of the need to be proactive about the mind-body link and what pupils can do to help themselves thrive physically and mentally. We believe a good understanding of how the teenage brain functions and develops helps to equip students with greater empathy and understanding, both for themselves and others. Developing resilience is a continual theme throughout their entire school life at St Catherine’s and they are introduced to different, age-appropriate tools to help them further develop their skills.

ACADEMIC

MENTORING

The Academic Mentoring Department supports all children: able children, scholars, Oxbridge candidates and any child with specific learning difficulty, neurological diversity or other additional need or learning difference and those who have just hit a ‘bump in the road’. Our objective is to support girls to fulfil their potential by optimising their learning across the age range and curriculum. We aim to empower students to discuss their strengths as well as areas of learning they find challenging and to develop study strategies for the classroom and at home.

LETTERS TO MY YOUNGER SELF

The idea for this came from a book entitled What I know now. Letters to My Younger Self which was compiled by the New York Times columnist Ellyn Spragins and contains letters from many famous women of the time looking back on “significant moments” in their lives and offering their younger selves the advice which they have since gained by living through that moment and coming out the other side. We thought that there may be some mileage in harnessing the power of these experiences in our community here at school so that we can pass on lessons learned as a contributor or feel comforted as a reader that we are not the only one to feel the way we do.

MEDICAL CENTRE

The Medical Centre consists of a team of five qualified nurses who are available on a rota 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We are committed to protecting the welfare of our girls and we aim to provide a caring and open environment where girls can feel confident to approach members of staff for support in privacy.

CHAPLAINCY

St Catherine’s is a welcoming and inclusive community, welcoming those of all faiths and none. This reflects the Christian tradition at the heart of the School.  Chapel is central to this and, paradoxically, it is also a ‘space apart’ where quiet, calm and peace can be found.  It is always open as a place where girls can come and be still and pray if they so choose.

SUPPORT IN ACTION

When more specialist support may be required to help a student through specific emotional challenges, we are fortunate to have the expertise of two part-time Resident Psychologists and two counsellors on hand in school. They work in collaboration with other members of the Pastoral Team to support our girls, who understand the issues facing them and the way in which a teenage brain is ‘wired’. Our Resident Psychologist, Dr Joanna Taylor reflects:

We are all biologically programmed to seek reward and pleasure, which may involve taking risks or making poor choices. This is necessary for survival; we would never achieve anything if we didn’t have the drive to seek out new experiences and take some chances. Some people are naturally more prone to risk taking, regardless of their age, particularly if they have low self-esteem, a thrill-seeking temperament, or a natural susceptibility to boredom and disinhibition. But something unique is happening in the teenage brain and in their social emotional development. Teenagers are more likely to make impulsive decisions, driven by how they feel in the moment, rather than by thinking or planning ahead. Teenagers may also make more risky choices – this might be the result of poor judgement or a lack of awareness of the dangers, or being driven by overwhelming desire to feel pleasure, regardless of the consequences. The pressures of social acceptance and belonging are particularly acute in teenagers and peer dynamics can play a big role in decision making. You might hear your teenager justifying their behaviour to you and to themselves – ‘I’m not vulnerable. It was worth it to finally have a good time. Everyone else is going out.’ It is also a normal and natural stage of cognitive development for teenagers to be egocentric in their thinking and struggle to see things from the perspective of others. Knowing all this means we can have greater sympathy for our teenagers but what does it mean practically? How can we help teenagers learn to take responsibility for their behaviour and recognise the potential consequences for others, in order to protect the more vulnerable in the community?

WHAT PARENTS SAY

May my wife and I, take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to you and all the wonderful staff at St Catherine’s school, for the superb teaching and nurturing environment which have greatly benefited our daughter.

Mr and Mrs Palmer, Current Parents

The pastoral care is excellent … the school has supported our girls every step of the way. They are continually looking out for them and the communication by their form tutors, head of house, and tutors has been invaluable in making the girls feel safe and looked after.

Mrs Strode, Current Parent

PARENT SUPPORT

PARENT HUB

It is inevitable that at one stage or other, our students will experience some challenges as they navigate their teenage years. At School we do all we can to monitor and support students, seeking to intervene as early as we can to avoid worries or problems becoming more complex. However, it is most likely - and most natural - that a student will turn for support to her parents, and rightly so.  We have therefore prepared a bank of resources as a handy reference point for parents called the Parent Hub. These include guidance on issues such as self-esteem, online safety, parenting teenage girls, perfectionism and relaxation.

PTA LECTURES

We are fortunate to have an active PTA at the School who regularly invite both internal and external speakers to talk to the parent body on issues that are relevant to bringing up teenagers. The most recent lectures have included a talk entitled, ‘Secure Your Own Oxygen Mask First: Mental Fitness for parents of Teens’, given by a qualified Life and Mental Fitness Coach.

THE TEAM

St Catherine’s School Station Road, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0DF

+44(0)1483 899609 admissions@stcatherines.info www.stcatherines.info

Mrs Rosa McQuade Merriman Housemistress

Dr Louise Fermandel, BSc, MSc, Dpsy Resident Clinical Psychologist

Sister Dominique Barnett RGN Nurse

Dr Joanne Taylor, BSc, MSc, Dpsy Lead Resident Clinical Psychologist

Mrs Cathy Williams Qualified Mental Health First Aider

Mrs Ceri-Anne Wiskin Midleton Housemistress

Sister Rachel Clark RN BSc Nurse

Mrs Debbie Kitchen Musgrave Housemistress

Sister Maya Garside RGN Nurse

Mrs Pippa Rashbrook, BA (Hons) Couns MBACP Accred School Counsellor

Miss Emily Jefford Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs Isabel Cook Russell Baker Housemistress

Mr James Reed Stoner Housemaster

Sister Linda Green RGN Senior Nursing Sister

Sister Lauretta Pope RGN Nurse

Mrs Kirsty Meredith Senior Housemistress Senior Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs Amanda White Ashcombe Housemistress

Mrs Vic Alexander Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs Denise Irons Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Mrs Elizabeth Ryan Head of Academic Mentoring

Mrs Denise Osborn Assistant Academic Mentoring Teacher and Access Arrangements Officer