A Fulham secondary school is creating a recovery plan to support students not just academically but also socially and emotionally as part of moving on from the effects of the lockdown. The number of mental health and wellbeing self-referrals since returning to school at the end of the second lockdown has doubled.

As part of their recovery plan the school has arranged to take a specific group of students, many with social, emotional and mental health difficulties resulting from lockdown, to Wales for an outward bound experience to develop relationships, self-esteem and rebuild a sense of community. The school’s vision is to ‘empower tomorrow’s women’ and in order for students to buy into and to value the experience they are being asked to make a financial contribution and will be undertaking their own fundraising activities alongside staff.

Some individual students are particularly affected by economic deprivation. A grant from the Foundation will provide support to enable 12 young women to participate in and benefit from the ‘Empower’ experience.