Wellbeing at Chorister School
At Chorister School, we believe that a happy child is a learning child.
Wellbeing is central to everything we do — it sits at the heart of school life and underpins the personal, social, and academic development of every pupil.
A Whole-School Commitment to Care
Our approach to wellbeing is both holistic and proactive. As part of the Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation, we are committed to nurturing confident, resilient, and compassionate young people who live out our MARK values:
Moral Integrity, Ambition, Responsibility, and Kindness.
Each half term, pupils take part in a carefully planned programme of wellbeing and personal development sessions designed to build emotional literacy, self-awareness, and social confidence.
Children who demonstrate the MARK values are recognised weekly through our MARK Awards, celebrating kindness, empathy, and positive personal growth.
The Chorister School Wellbeing Hub
We are proud to introduce our new Wellbeing Hub — a calm, welcoming space designed to support children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.
The Hub offers a peaceful environment where pupils can reset, reflect, and reconnect with their feelings or talk to a trusted adult. It is a natural extension of our belief that every child’s emotional health deserves the same care and attention as their academic progress.
The Wellbeing Hub is open to all pupils throughout the school day, encouraging mindfulness, self-regulation, and a sense of calm within a busy prep school environment.
Exceptional Pastoral Care
Pastoral care at Chorister School is led by an experienced senior leader, ensuring every pupil is known, supported, and valued. Our School Nurse provides one-to-one emotional support whenever it’s needed, helping pupils to manage worries, build resilience, and feel secure.
A team of Wellbeing Ambassadors — specially trained pupil leaders — help to promote inclusion and peer support across the school, while regular visits from Senior School Wellbeing Mentors strengthen connections across the Foundation and reinforce our shared culture of care.
Wellbeing in Every Classroom
Wellbeing is woven into daily school life. Each classroom features a dedicated wellness area, offering children a space for calm reflection, mindful colouring, or quiet reading. These areas help pupils to recognise and regulate their emotions, develop empathy, and support one another with kindness and respect.
We also celebrate national awareness events such as World Mental Health Day, Children’s Mental Health Week, and Random Acts of Kindness Day, helping children understand the importance of compassion, self-care, and community.
Nurturing the Whole Child
At Chorister School, wellbeing is not an add-on — it’s a foundation for learning and for life.
Regular pastoral updates are shared with families alongside academic reports, ensuring open communication and partnership between home and school.
By nurturing the whole child — emotionally, socially, and academically — we help each pupil to flourish, grow in confidence, and live out our Foundation’s guiding principle:
Confidence for Life, Respect for All.
