Last week marked the completion of a special training opportunity for many of our tutors. Place2Be, one of our partner charities that specialise in providing mental health awareness in schools, generously provided our tutors with the opportunity to take their ‘Mental Health Champions – Foundation programme’ for teachers course online.

The course was offered to tutors as part of Mental Health Awareness week in May, and we were delighted so many participated. The course consisted of 5 modules that gave tutors professional guidance on identifying mental health issues among pupils and suitably supporting them. 54 tutors took part in the course; this built on our previous collaboration with Place2Be last year, in which we invited tutors to a special CPD event led by our partner charity. On this occasion, we were only able to offer this opportunity to 20 tutors so we are thrilled to have doubled this number this year.

Tutors who took part in this course will now be able to provide more support for wellbeing alongside the academic assistance they provide for their pupils, and will have even greater impact because of it. Our tutors have been incredibly positive about the course, praising its insightfulness and accessibility.

One tutor, Evie Deacon, a Secondary Maths and Primary tutor in Leeds said:

“I thoroughly enjoyed Place2Be's Mental Health course; it has been interesting and informative. It has encouraged me to take a more understanding and patient approach to students' emotional literacy and regulation, as well as consider the importance of school being a safe space for students.

“It has taught me the importance and responsibility of all adults within a child's life, as well as how attachment theory can be integrated into schools support and well-being systems.”

Zoe Kundu, a Primary tutor in Manchester, said:

“Place2Be’s 'Mental Health Champions – Foundation programme' was incredibly informative and clear, covering a wide range of important topics in detail but remaining sensitive throughout. The practical advice and suggestions were particularly helpful for how to relate to children and young people in a more helpful and less presumptuous way.”

We want to thank Place2Be for providing this special and very valuable opportunity and all the tutors that completed it. At Tutor Trust, we care greatly about our pupils’ mental health and wellbeing; with the experience of this course, we are sure our tutors will be even more supportive of their pupils.