An independent school in Oxfordshire has introduced an ongoing wellness initiative that provides assistance to pupils throughout the year, not solely during exam season.
Cokethorpe School in the Witney area has established an extensive programme featuring student-to-student coaching, meditation techniques, frequent one-to-one time with form tutors and access to qualified therapists. The scheme aims to help young people understand stress, build emotional resilience and learn strategies for managing both academic pressures and everyday challenges.
Andrew Uglow, the school’s deputy head for academic affairs, explained that a major worry for him is the misconception that focusing on children’s mental wellbeing somehow undermines academic excellence. Both can genuinely work together. By showing authentic concern for every individual and providing suitable resources, advice and tools for overcoming obstacles, students can reach their full capabilities.
The school places significant emphasis on pupil support, with students in the lower sixth providing one-on-one guidance to those in younger year groups. These informal conversations create a safe space where young people can speak openly, receive direction and benefit from the experiences of older peers.
During assessment windows, the establishment encourages pupils to continue participating in sports and countryside activities to maintain balance and keep things in proper proportion.
Mr Uglow remarked that exercise, fresh air and regular routines all help pupils keep things in perspective, sharpen focus and sustain good energy levels throughout intense periods.
Character building begins in Year 7 through a structured programme designed to help young people recognise signs of worry, understand stress responses and develop personal coping strategies.
Mr Uglow commented that we cannot protect adolescents from pressure, nor would it be right to try. Instead, we must nurture toughness so that when difficulties arise, they have the abilities and belief in themselves to handle them capably.
Pupils also receive instruction in effective revision techniques, including managing time and alternating study with rest. Daily contact with form tutors ensures that teachers build thorough familiarity with each pupil, enabling them to spot concerns early through minor changes in conduct.
When specialist help becomes required, students can access qualified child and adolescent counsellor Tanya Smith through self-referral, teacher suggestion or parent request.
Mrs Smith emphasises the value of emotional support during the teenage years, describing this time as a complex developmental stage requiring both empathy and guidance.
The school’s philosophy corresponds with the wider goals of Stress Awareness Month: although pressure cannot be eliminated from young people’s lives, schools can supply them with tools, assurance and support networks to manage it effectively.
Cokethorpe School functions as an independent, mixed-gender day school educating children from four to eighteen years old, set within 150 acres of countryside.