This week, our school is abuzz with discussions and activities centred around World Mental Health Day, which falls today, October 10th. The theme for this year is ‘mental health is a universal human right,’ and we’ve been engaging our pupils in thoughtful conversations about what mental health means and the vital role of awareness in reducing the stigma surrounding it.

Throughout this week, our school assemblies have been focused on understanding the essence of mental health and the importance of awareness in combating the stigma surrounding it. We’re proud to share that at CTA, we have an array of resources in place to support the mental well-being of our pupils and staff. These include our dedicated Mental Health First Aiders, safe spaces, wellbeing ambassadors, weekly check-ins, and our pastoral and safeguarding team, who are always ready to assist pupils with their needs.

To mark this important occasion, we’ve organised various activities for our pupils and staff:

Thursday, October 12^th – Board Game Activities during lunchtime where pupils can have a ticket to attend with a friend to relax and unwind.

Friday, October 13^th – Karaoke during lunchtime for pupils to sing any worries away and enjoy a social activity with friends.

Furthermore, our first House Event of the year is here – the ‘Mental Health Acrostic Poem’ competition! We invite all pupils to showcase their creativity within their form groups and express their thoughts on mental health through poetry. All poems must include the words ‘Mental Health,’ words that portray mental health, and words that highlight how people can cope with mental health challenges. Winning forms (per year group) will earn 5 house points each, and the winning poems will be framed and proudly displayed in school.

Our staff members are also actively involved in promoting mental health awareness. They proudly wear green ribbon pin badges, symbolising their commitment to creating a safe space for discussions about mental health. As part of the #PinItForMentalHealth campaign, our staff members are encouraged to share why they wear their green ribbon pins.

To further our World Mental Health Day celebrations, all of our staff members are invited to come together for “Tea, Talk & Cake” on Wednesday, October 11^th. This gathering is an opportunity for all of our staff to share and support each other in recognising that ‘mental health is a universal human right’.

World Mental Health Day is an opportune moment to reflect on our own mental well-being. Did you know that, on average, adults say, “I’m fine” 14 times a week, but only 19% of them truly mean it? If you or someone you know is going through a tough time, please reach out to a friend, colleague or GP if you need support. Please remember, your mental health matters, and it’s a universal human right. Let’s continue to foster a supportive, stigma-free environment within our community.

#WorldMentalHealthDay #RespecttheCTAWay #Community