Mental Health and Pastoral Leads

Every Hertfordshire school is asked to nominate a Mental Health Lead (MHL) and where possible a Deputy Lead (DMHL), who will be a key point of contact for emotional wellbeing/ mental health in the school, and a key link with external provision/whole school models. The MHL/DMHL role description can be read below.

MHL job description.docx

Senior Mental Health Lead training

The Department for Education (DfE) is offering a grant of £1,200 for eligible state-funded schools and colleges in England to train a senior mental health lead to develop and implement a whole school or college approach to mental health and wellbeing. This training is not compulsory, but it is part of the government’s commitment to offer this training to all eligible schools and colleges by 2025.

Find out more about the funding here

DfE Assured MH leads training through NESSie

NESSie-MH-Leads-Training.pdf

Primary and Secondary MHL and pastoral networks

These networks provide useful opportunities to hear updates from local services with variety of guest speakers. The primary network meets termly online and the secondary network meets face to face at Townsend school.

Dates for 2025-26

Primary Network	Wednesday 5th November 2025, 1.30pm – 3pm	Meetings are online and organised by public health.
	Tuesday 10th March 2026, 1.30pm – 3pm	To receive an invite please email:
	Thursday 11^th June 2026, 1.30pm – 3pm	Kennedy.Taylor@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Secondary Network	Wednesday 15th October 2025 4.00pm -5.15pm	Meetings held at Townsend School, please email to
	Wednesday 11th March 2026 4.00pm - 5.15pm	book contact: istuckey121@townsend.herts.sch.uk
	Wednesday 10th June 2026 4.00pm - 5.15pm

Resources from the Primary and Secondary Network meetings

Emotional Mental Health Wellbeing schools mark

The new Mental Health schools mark has now been launched for Primary and Secondary school settings.

The process involves schools submitting the new self-review document, followed by an Assessor visit from a member of the EMWiE team.

Once a school has decided they would like to undertake the Emotional Mental Wellbeing in Schools Mark, they notify the EMWiE team. They then have 3 months to complete the self-review document, by rating their existing practices as developing, effective or advanced against the criteria listed. These ratings help schools to identify strengths, and highlight areas that can be further developed as part of a Mental Health Action Plan. During the Assessor visit, the school has opportunities to discuss their self-review, providing evidence and examples to support the rating.