Senior Mental Health Lead
We are a DfE Approved Provider
£1200 of grant funding is now available for schools and colleges from the Department of Education to train Senior Mental Health Leads. Second grants are available, schools and colleges can claim a second grant if their previously trained Senior Mental Health Lead has left their position. Funding has been extended until the 31st December 2025! Our course code is SMHL138, you will need to enter this as part of the DfE grant application. If you would like to self-fund the training please click the individuals link below.
Places are limited. Reserve yours now.
Schools & Colleges
Individuals
Improve your School or College's approach to Mental Health.
Our DfE approved course is modular and flexible and offers a mix of online & video instruction, directed reflection, webinars and coaching to best suit your learning needs. You will cover the following:
- Getting the basics right: Learn the wellbeing scale from flourishing to mental health issues.
- Clarity first: Evaluate the state of mental health and its policies in your school.
- The change starts with you: Become a role model by using wellbeing inducing leadership skills
- Better together: Co-create your schools’ wellbeing vision for a transformative and inclusive environment.
- Learn and grow Focus on upskilling multi-stakeholders alongside curricular frameworks for key culture change.
- Reach for effective care: Identify indicators for swift mental health interventions, including students voice.
- Moving forward: Evaluate and optimise all changes for wellbeing sustainability.
- Sharing best practice: Online community of like minded SMHL, sharing a passion for people's mental wellbeing.
The Outcome
After course completion, you will be able to support your school on the road to better wellbeing confidently, and you will know how to:
- Promote wellbeing and organise professional mental health supportÂ
- Evaluate what works and what needs change
- Lead change mind- and skilfully Â
- Create dialogue and buy-in in your community
- Offer targeted learning for teachers, students, parents
- Take swift action when effective care is needed
- Improve and adapt the action plan for lasting change
Your Road to Success
This course is only the beginning! Following completion we will further support you by:
- Helping you implement your developed whole school change action plan
- Getting CPD credits and a certificate to validate your course efforts
- Keeping you connected with other Senior Mental Health Leads through our online SMHL community hub
- Our additional complimentary personal Wellbeing Programme
- Access to our “Using Strengths in the Classroom” course
Key Programme Characteristics
Alumni
Previous successful TSP SMHL remain members for continued access and ongoing support.
Connect
Connect with other SMHL, access ongoing expert peer support, coaching and networking.
Flex
Modular self-paced, on-demand sessions which are accessible at your convenience.
Individual
One to One coaching, mentoring or supervision between our experts and the senior leads.
Live
Regular live group sessions, held by expert presenters in mental health education.
Peer
Group coaching, mentoring or supervision between our experts and multiple senior leads.
Recognition
Knowledge tests and end assessment to enable certificate completion and CPD credits.
Reflect
Modular resources, activities, and reflections with concept expansion via playbook.
Meet Our Experts
Dr Elke Paul
Professional Wellbeing Coaching
Dr. Elke Paul, is co-founder of  CreatePositive, a professional learning ecosystem to advance mental wellbeing and human skills. She is an international education and mental wellbeing consultant, content developer, facilitator, and speaker.
She is passionate about Wellbeing Transformation Programs and has experienced them turn schools into empowered flourishing organisations. She believes wellbeing education needs to sit at the core of any school education alongside academic knowledge development. Dedicated leadership and staff up skilling and community participation are crucial levers for success. As a board member of the Spirituality and Meaning Division at the International Positive Psychology Association she is convinced, the art of slowing down, mindfulness, and developing a healthy relationship with oneself are additional drivers for a positive change in schools.Â
Given current global challenges, and with teachers and students specifically, wellbeing education needs to get to schools directly and more professionally. Through CreatePositive Elke has been able to support and empower other educators with strategies, tools and knowledge to enable them to bring about whole-school wellbeing change within their school communities.
Ella Savell-Boss
Safeguarding Training & Educational Consultant
Dr. Elke Paul, is co-founder of  CreatePositive, a professional learning ecosystem to advance mental wellbeing and human skills. She is an international education and mental wellbeing consultant, content developer, facilitator, and speaker.
She is passionate about Wellbeing Transformation Programs and has experienced them turn schools into empowered flourishing organisations. She believes wellbeing education needs to sit at the core of any school education alongside academic knowledge development. Dedicated leadership and staff up skilling and community participation are crucial levers for success. As a board member of the Spirituality and Meaning Division at the International Positive Psychology Association she is convinced, the art of slowing down, mindfulness, and developing a healthy relationship with oneself are additional drivers for a positive change in schools.Â
Given current global challenges, and with teachers and students specifically, wellbeing education needs to get to schools directly and more professionally. Through CreatePositive Elke has been able to support and empower other educators with strategies, tools and knowledge to enable them to bring about whole-school wellbeing change within their school communities.
Ella is an NSPCC accredited safeguarding trainer and has over 17 years’ experience of working with children and families in education and safeguarding. Her roles have included working across the whole school community with children, families, staff, governors, and external agencies. Ella led her previous school in achieving Optimus Education and Children’s Society Wellbeing Award and has supported and advised other schools working towards this award.
Ella has worked as a frontline lead for safeguarding, emotional health, and wellbeing across a Multi-Academy Trust in a highly deprived area and has experience on leading staff and community in developing new ways to increase learning, understanding, monitoring and evaluation.
Understanding school safeguarding management, challenges, pressures, and barriers posed, gives her the depth of understanding to support future Senior Mental Health Leads to overcome these. Ella is passionate about ensuring adequate wrap-around support is provided to staff holding these key roles and foundation for bringing about whole school change.
Ella has seen the growing need for a Senior Mental Health role to be established within schools and this makes her an ideal expert support for the Thirsty Scholars Partnership SMHL programme.
Register for our Senior Mental Health Lead Programme
What our customers have to say
Owen Turner
Headteacher
We found the courses informative and engaging, providing exactly what we were hoping for with a blend of practical suggestions and information. The content perfectly aligned with our current approaches to behavior, ACEs, and trauma-informed practice.
Yvette Adams
Nursery Manager
We at Little Rascals are really impressed with Connex Academy. From customer service to course content, the process was swift, uncomplicated and efficient. We are looking forward to the new courses they have to offer, all for excellent value.
Mistura Brisset
Business Manager
I must say it is a very user-friendly site. All our staff found it easy to navigate, and the course content was engaging and clear. The sign-up process was simple, and we were set up quickly. I would highly recommend Connex Academy.