In a recent census wide survey commissioned by a leading British Curriculum school, the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai, the importance of mental health support for teenagers has been revealed as one of the top factors that parents are looking for when enrolling their child into a senior school. The survey discovered that more than 70% of parents questioned are worried about the mental health support that their child is currently receiving at school and 50.4% of parents want to see mental health on a school’s curriculum as standard.
With the traditional school life and young people’s learning disrupted for more than two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is no surprise that the survey also discovered that 71.6% of parents questioned believe that their child’s mental health has suffered as a result of the pandemic, and 71.6% of parents believe that home-schooling has had a negative impact on their own mental health.
Clare Turnbull, Principal at the Royal Grammar School Guildford Dubai commented: “It is hugely important for us to constantly reach out to our network and community of parents to really understand what they are looking for in a school so we can offer the best possible support. It is no surprise that parents are now looking to schools for mental health support for their children after the pandemic has caused disruption in their learning and social development. Our pupils’ mental health and wellness is our top priority at RGSGDand mental health awareness is an integral part of the school’s DNA. It is taught in the PSHE curriculum, embodied in the school’s values and our modern and flexible learning environment has nature at its heart to reinforce pupil wellbeing. We are doing everything we can to close the gap in the issues that have been created due to the pandemic.”
Creating a positive narrative and encouraging an open and honest conversation in school around mental health is a top priority for the RGSGD who include this as part of their regular PSHCE lessons. Throughout their time at RGSGD, pupils are taught strategies to help them understand and process their feelings and the school continues to develop emotional regulation for all pupils, especially for those who are struggling to manage and interact in social situations which they might have missed out on experiencing and dealing with due to the pandemic.