At Aston Academy, we aim to support all students to develop the skills needed to navigate the range of life experiences that they will collectively face, both during their education, and throughout life.

Our mission is to empower them to gain knowledge and understanding of how to keep themselves both mentally and physically healthy across their lifespan.   

Students will consequently engage with activities in class and tutor time, which build their associated skills, and in addition learn basic First Aid and develop their understanding of a range of positive relationships. 

We promulgate that there is good evidence to support the association between good mental health and education engagement/academic achievement. The benefits to preventing mental health problems in young people from arising, and intervening early where they do, can be significant. For example, it may result in improved attainment, attendance, focus, as well as happier, more confident and resilient young people.

We view early intervention in identifying issues and providing effective support as crucial. Our Academy’s role, therefore, in supporting and promoting mental health and well-being may be summarised as:

1. Reduction/Prevention: creating a safe and calm school environment where mental health problems are less likely, equipping students to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively. This will include teaching pupils and students about mental well-being through the curriculum and reinforcing this teaching through school activities and ethos.

2. Identification: recognising emerging issues as early and accurately as possible.

3. Early support: helping students to access early support and interventions.

4. Access to specialist support: working effectively with external agencies to provide swift access or referrals to specialist support and treatment.