Lower School Office

Mrs Owen-Moore

 DEPUTY HEADTEACHER – HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

My name is Petra Owen-Moore and I am one of the Deputy Heads at The Ecclesbourne School.

I am the Designated Mental Health Lead for the school as well as being a member of the Mental Health Secondary Schools Network for Derbyshire. I am also one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding leads within school.

I am Head of Lower School, Key stage 3, looking after 720 students with a gifted and excellent Pastoral team made up of 3 Heads of year, 2 progress leaders, and 24 form tutors. We don’t see the three schools, (Lower, Upper and 6th form) as separate but work very closely and collaboratively in the PLT. We engage in training together, share good practice, support staff to serve the needs of our students.

I have worked in education since 1988 and have been a curriculum lead as well as a pastoral lead, working as a form tutor, head of year to my current position. I also teach Religious Studies to classes across the whole school, including GCSE and the Philosophy requirement at A level.

The majority of my work is to ensure that Lower School students have a great foundation both academically and pastorally to ensure an excellent transition from primary school to lower school and then transition to Upper school and GCSE success. Included in that is Behaviour for learning as well as encouraging students to strive and focus on achieving their very best. Mental Health and wellbeing is essential to this not just for Lower School but for all students in the school.

As outlined in the DFE requirement for the Designated Mental Health lead for the school my role should not be that of a mental health professional; and should not diagnose mental health conditions or be required to deliver mental health interventions; but that the focus of the lead should be strategic, putting a whole school approach to wellbeing and mental health in place, and ensuring a coordinated approach. I have developed and continue to develop with colleagues, especially the PLT this coordinated approach. We currently have 18 staff trained as Mental Health First Aid England where we adapt the ALGEE approach (Assess and assist, Listen, Give support and information, Encourage appropriate professional help, Encourage other support).

We incorporate Mental Health and Wellbeing in our teaching and learning – lessons, assemblies, workshops, drop down days and much more. We have MHWB student ambassadors who work as peer mentors. We have access to external agencies and other invaluable resources which are shared with staff, students and parents. Our whole school works on the basis of Prevention, Identification, school early intervention and support, external agencies specialist support.

I am a firm believer that students will thrive and achieve their potential when they feel safe and included, know that they matter and are cared for. I, like my colleagues, believe in the importance of a holistic approach (Staff , students, parents , community , academic and pastoral ) to encourage our students to become resilient, independent and confident young people ready to live their future best lives with the knowledge and skills to do so.

It is my privilege to be able to work with our students within our Ecclesbourne school family