School-Based Support Services
At Orchard Park, we believe that mental health, wellbeing, and safeguarding are at the heart of a safe and successful learning environment. Research shows that when children feel safe and supported, they are more confident, ready to learn, and able to thrive.
Meet Our Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader
Mrs Jessica Parker is our Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader. Her role is fully dedicated to supporting the safety, welfare, emotional wellbeing, and inclusion of all pupils — she does not have a classroom teaching role.
Jessica is an experienced teacher with a strong background in safeguarding and pupil support. She works closely with pupils and their families to help ensure everyone in our school community feels safe, supported, and included.
Her support may include:
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Working directly with children or their families
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Offering advice or guidance on safeguarding and wellbeing concerns
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Signposting to school-based or local services for further help
How to Get in Touch
Mrs Parker offers a confidential and personalised service for Orchard Park families. You can contact her by phone or email - Click here for further details.
School Linked Services
At Orchard Park, we work closely with a range of school-linked services to support the needs of our pupils and families. These include access to counselling, mental health support, family workers, educational psychologists, and other local agencies. By working together, we aim to provide the right help at the right time — ensuring every child and family in our community feels supported, included, and able to thrive.
The Red Hen Project is a small local charity that works with three primary schools in North Cambridge, including ours. They help children and families with any challenges that might make learning harder, and they help build strong links between home and school.
Red Hen family workers support families one-to-one — at home, in school, or out in the community. They also run a range of friendly group activities, including parenting courses, coffee mornings, drop-ins, workshops, family events, trips, and volunteering opportunities.
Orchard Park is proud to be one of nine partner schools working with Blue Smile, a charity that supports children’s mental health and emotional wellbeing across the whole school.
Every Thursday, Lucy O’Brien and her team of trained therapists and counselling mentors are in school for what we call our ‘Blue Smile Day’. On these days, they provide one-to-one support to up to 18 pupils, helping children understand and manage their emotions. They also work closely with parents, carers, and teachers to set goals and find the best ways to support each child.
Blue Smile is a valued part of our school community, and we work hard to make sure there’s no stigma around talking about mental health.
If you’d like to know more about Blue Smile support for your child, please contact Mrs Jessica Parker (Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader).
Mental Health Support Team (MHST)
Qwell
The Mental Health Support Team (MHST) has been working with Orchard Park for several years, focusing on early support for children’s mental health and wellbeing.
They work closely with our school and other local services to build a strong, whole-school approach to mental health, supporting what we’re already doing. The team offers a range of helpful services, including:
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Easier access to mental health support
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Workshops and training for parents and school staff
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Advice and guidance for staff on mental health needs
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One-to-one and small group sessions for children who are finding it hard to manage emotions
Many of our families have told us that support from MHST has made a big difference — both to their children and to the whole family. Common areas of support include anxiety around food, sleep, and relationships.
To find out more, please contact Mrs Jessica Parker (Safeguarding, Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader).
Qwell is a FREE online service that offer anonymised wellbeing support for adults (anyone over the age of 18).
The support offered includes a personal goal-based journey via online counsellors available 365 days a year, 12pm -10pm on weekdays and 6pm-10pm on weekends.
Local Support Services
There are a range of Cambridge-based support services available for children, young people, and families, offering help with emotional wellbeing, parenting, mental health, and more.
These services work in partnership with schools and the wider community to ensure the right support is available when it’s needed. Please see the final document for a full list of support organisations available to families living in the Cambridge area.
