Meet The Team
Dr Ahoora Baranian
Following my academic career as a medical engineer working in research and development, I decided to come back and work in schools. Currently, I am in my final year of training as a psychotherapeutic counsellor at Cambridge University. I feel privileged and lucky to be part of the Crocus Wellbeing team at SWCHS. I work part time at the Pastoral Hub (B16), which has become an essential asset to our staff and students. At B16, we offer a variety of therapeutical activities such as art, cooking, gardening, and creative writing. I genuinely believe the positive impact that we can have on each other is priceless and what a better group of people than young individuals as they are the roots of the future society.
Lauren Moran
I work alongside Dr Ahoora Baranian in B16, helping and supporting students to overcome any emotional or behavioural barriers to learning. B16 is a great environment to work in; it’s calm, relaxed and welcoming with comfy areas to sit, we have an indoor garden and a kitchen and regularly run 1-2-1 therapeutic activities that enable students to reset and refocus. I am able to take the time to get to know students well, listen to and understand their issues and to help them find a new sense of perspective and reach their potential. It is such a rewarding job and I feel lucky to be a part of the Crocus Pastoral and Wellbeing team at such a caring and supportive school.
Anna Moorhouse
I began working at SWCHS as a Drama teacher in 2003. I still very much love teaching Drama alongside my role as Designated Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead. I trained to be a Mindfulness teacher with MISP five years ago and now run Mindfulness courses in school for both students and adults. I also run other wellbeing courses such as ‘Understanding and Exploring Perfectionism’ and ‘The Wellbeing Toolkit Course’.
I meet with students individually to support them with their wellbeing and having just completed my training, I can now offer 1-1 and small group Wellbeing Coaching.
I feel incredibly lucky and grateful to work with such a wonderful Pastoral and Wellbeing Team whose support, kindness and compassion for our young people is vital in ensuring that all of our students can thrive.
I am based in the new Sims Wellbeing Shed with Beth, the school counsellor. We are very fortunate to have such a beautiful, calm space to work with our students.
Beth Robertson
I am Beth Robertson and I am the lead counsellor at SWCHS. I am so proud to be part of the Pastoral and Wellbeing Team and feel especially privileged to work with our amazing, wonderful students at SWCHS. I have been in practice for 20 years and my ‘style’ of counselling is integrative. This means I integrate lots of elements from different schools of counselling in order to find the best way of supporting the students I work with. As part of the Wellbeing Team I offer one to one counselling, single session therapy, drop-in lunchtime counselling and am so lucky to be able to co-facilitate some of the great workshops run by the Wellbeing Lead Mrs Moorhouse. The school counselling team offer a professional, warm, friendly and caring service to all students who would like support. Students can self-refer or ask their YAC’s, teaching staff and or parents to request a referral.
Sandy Macfie
I never set out to be a teacher, but I was given an opportunity and really enjoyed it – especially the social interaction with pupils and staff. The thought of being stuck indoors in an office all day is not for me.
I’m married to an English teacher, so our bookshelves are divided between her fictional novels and my biographies. What I have discovered with age is that I like taking an interest in people. What makes them tick? What made them successful? What falls did they experience on their journey to success? And I constantly ask myself how this knowledge can affect my life and translate into the pupils I teach.
I also have a passion for health and fitness. I strongly believe exercise is the cure for so many of the issues that we face today in society. I love seeing my classes run around and have fun playing.
I like to think that if we can have fun and enjoy each other's company then we can live a happy and peaceful life.