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Sherborne Girls is committed to the promotion of the life-long physical and mental health benefits associated with regular physical activity, and a healthy and balanced lifestyle. The goal of Sherborne Girls is to provide all pupils with enjoyable and fulfilling life experiences and to help them through education and experience to develop the knowledge and individual tools (strategies) needed to manage their mental, physical and spiritual health & wellbeing.
Focusing on the "Five Ways to Achieving Wellbeing", we promote wellbeing themed months and weeks throughout the year and via posters, in-house presentations and activities, and assemblies led by our three Upper Sixth Wellbeing Prefects and twelve Lower Sixth ambassadors, the wellbeing education programme continues to be delivered to all.
In November 2022, we introduced the concept of Press Pause Day. Pupils and staff were given the opportunity to design their own perfect day, made up of six different sessions. We based our ideas on three core concepts: creativity, physical activity and mental well-being. On offer was a range of activities, from art and craft workshops, gardening classes, well-being and mindfulness talks, group singing, cookery (or just ‘tea and cake’ sessions), quiet reading, colouring and yoga, to dance and fitness classes, five and ten km runs, golf or whole day walks for those who love exercise and the outdoors. Girls and staff also enjoyed a brilliant ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ stand-up comedy show and were invited to a 'Mamma Mia' Sing-a-Long.
The day started with a much anticipated lie-in, followed by a delicious, healthy breakfast specially chosen by our Food and Wellbeing Prefects. Our student Wellbeing Team was instrumental in helping to design and deliver the day and designed beautiful Press Pause Day spaces in the houses where the girls could snuggle up and wind down together.
The pupil's wellbeing is viewed as being as equally important as their academic progress.
Sherborne Girls has been built on the foundation of Christian faith and values and these continue to shape our community through lives of service, empathy, honesty, integrity, humility, forgiveness, and generosity. In our diverse community, we encourage girls to engage with and reflect upon their own faith and values, whilst being respectful and seeking to understand the beliefs of others.
As a school, we meet three times a week as a whole school for the Head’s Assembly and Prayers, where staff and girls as a whole school community share thoughts on issues of the day. Girls of all faiths and none are encouraged to take part. Prayer and reflection are encouraged within houses, with grace being said at some meals, regular informal ‘PJ prayers’ in the evenings, quiet meditations, and House prayers.
Sunday services are either in Sherborne Abbey or in the Gransden Hall. Roman Catholic girls are encouraged to attend the local Catholic church and have the opportunity to be confirmed alongside pupils from Sherborne School and Leweston. Anglican Confirmation takes place every year, following preparation classes led by the Chaplain.
We have a chaplaincy team that includes staff (Chaplain, Assistant Chaplain, Worship group leader, Catholic confirmation, and CU leader), 4 prefects (U6), and representatives in L6 from each house. There is a busy schedule of chaplaincy events throughout the year, including a visiting gospel/worship band, PJ prayers, the Lent Project, and the Abbey at Night.
Revd. Katie Windle,
Chaplain
The mental health and wellbeing of the girls in our care is paramount.
The pastoral network, the tutors and the huge peer support which is evident in all of our houses, creates an environment where a girl's wellbeing is viewed as just as important as how they are doing academically.
This is why, in addition to the pastoral support we offer the girls, we also have a trained counsellor, Heddy Smith, who, alongside her trusty therapy dog - the adorable Muppet - can provide specific help and counselling for those girls who require it.
The Health Centre provides a service of high quality, evidence-based healthcare with the aim of promoting lifelong physical and emotional wellbeing. The care and wellbeing of all the Sherborne Girls community is at the heart of the Health Centre and the team strive to give the optimum service using a holistic approach. This incorporates treating and taking care of the patient as a whole body, which involves physical, social environment, psychological, cultural and religious beliefs.
The Health Centre is staffed 24 hours a day during term time by a qualified nurse. The team offer a range of services from managing acute medical problems to supporting pupils to manage their own chronic health conditions such as epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, and allergies. In the event of pupils becoming unwell and needing to be admitted to the Health Centre there are eight beds for pupils to be supported as inpatients while they recover. There is also a pupil lounge and a sensory room which provides a space for pupils to relax, recharge and refocus when needed. Assimilated in the holistic approach, a therapy room is available for the use of visiting therapists, currently utilised by a physiotherapist, reflexologist, hypnotherapist and nutritionist.
All boarding pupils are registered with the Grove Medical centre under the care of Dr Thomas and Dr Middle, this is to ensure we have a comprehensive overview of the pupil's health needs. GP clinics within the Health Centre are provided every weekday from 8am-9am. During this time the nursing team are able to give vaccinations, perform phlebotomy and arrange any samples or specimens to be taken to the surgery. The GPs work closely with the nurses, providing support and assistance outside of clinic times.
At Sherborne Girls we have a strong and positive culture of safeguarding. We are committed to ensuring that the welfare and safety of every pupil is at the heart of everything we do, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment (link to Safe Recruitment/Recruitment pages?). Our pupils benefit from outstanding Pastoral care (link to Pastoral/Wellbeing pages?) whatever their individual needs are. We have a dedicated Safeguarding Team:
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who can be contacted at anytime is:
Leonie Cole (DSL)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01935 818305
The Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads are Jessica Briggs, Debbie Miller, Mrs Alice Beard, Ian McClary and Jayne Dart.
You can read our full safeguarding policy here.
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