School steps up mental health support with on-site therapy

Author: Partner Content

Paul Bell (The Anchor Practice) and Danny Rowlands (Merchiston)

Agreement sees expert psychotherapy delivered directly to pupils and staff

A PIONEERING new partnership is bringing enhanced mental health care to pupils and staff at a leading Edinburgh school.

Merchiston Castle School has announced a formal agreement with highly regarded adolescent mental health specialists, The Anchor Practice in a move designed to strengthen its existing commitment to wellbeing across the school community.

The initial 12-month arrangement will see experienced therapists from The Anchor Practice delivering in-school, no-cost access to professional therapy and assessment services for pupils, while also supporting and upskilling key staff.

From the start of the new academic year, Highly Specialist Child Psychotherapist, Dr Juraj Kralik, will provide weekly in-school psychotherapy and assessment. Juraj has extensive experience working with young people and their families, having worked in various educational settings, including early-year centres and a secondary educational and behavioural difficulties school.

He will be supported by regular fortnightly sessions from Consultant Psychotherapist and Clinical Director of The Anchor Practice, Paul Bell.

As part of the partnership, drop-in sessions for staff and parents will be introduced to complement ongoing weekly Reflective Practice training delivered by Paul for members of the school’s pastoral and pupil support teams.

This dual focus on pupils and staff is at the heart of the programme’s design - ensuring those in support roles are fully equipped to meet the challenges and complexities faced by young people today.

Speaking about the agreement, Paul said: “This partnership reflects an understanding that mental health care belongs at the centre of school life. With access to therapy normalised, not stigmatised, we can help create resilient environments where young people are empowered to seek support without hesitation.”

Merchiston Castle School’s longstanding focus on mental wellbeing underpins the decision to embed therapeutic support within its campus.

Danny Rowlands, Deputy Head of Wellbeing at the school, said: “At Merchiston, the wellbeing of our pupils isn’t an add-on, it’s a foundation for everything we do.

“When young people face personal challenges, we want to ensure they have immediate access to high-quality, professional support that equips them with lifelong tools for self-awareness and resilience.”

The service will be available to all pupils at the school, with age-appropriate sessions and assessment designed to meet the unique needs of each young person. Where additional or long-term support is required, referrals can be made directly to The Anchor Practice’s wider team of psychologists and psychotherapists.

While much of the focus is on pupils, the benefits for staff are equally pronounced.

Reflective Practice training sessions will allow teachers and pastoral leads to build confidence in managing emotional or behavioural concerns sensitively, proactively and with a deeper understanding of psychological development.

Danny added: “The agreement also allows us to strengthen our staff capacity, embedding professional mental health knowledge and frameworks across our wellbeing provision.

We’re particularly excited by the up skilling opportunities for our team and the chance to lead the way in what pastoral care can look like in schools.”

Merchiston chose to work with The Anchor Practice following consistently strong recommendations from parents and carers who had previously engaged with the service independently.

The psychotherapy specialists have earned a reputation for its child-centred approach and its ability to work collaboratively with schools, parents and other professionals in order to build effective support systems.

Paul added: “We understand that every young person’s journey is different. By being physically present in schools, we’re able to build trust with pupils and staff, provide timely support and ensure that therapeutic work is meaningfully connected to a young person’s lived environment.”

As the service beds in, the school will measure success through pupil feedback, staff engagement and wellbeing outcomes, with a view to extending or adapting the model beyond the initial 12-month period.

The partnership reflects growing recognition across the education sector of the need to embed mental health support earlier, more accessibly, and more comprehensively within school settings.

Danny concluded: “This is not a reactionary fix, it’s a proactive investment in our children, staff and community. We hope this model becomes a blueprint for how schools can support the next generation to thrive emotionally, socially and academically.”

Further information contact: Merchiston Castle School  The Anchor Practice