HUNDREDS of school students held a protest in response to what they believe to be insufficient mental health support.

Activists at Tendring Technology College swarmed the playgrounds of the school’s Thorpe-le-Soken and Frinton campuses yesterday, refusing to attend lessons.

To no avail at first, school staff are reported to have attempted to usher the pupils - some of which donned mental health ribbons - back into their classrooms.

The young protesters held the sizeable demonstration to demand more mental health provisions for pupils, following the recent deaths of two 15-year-old students.

Martti Ojandu, described as having a “heart of gold”, died last Tuesday, only two months after the death of fellow pupil Elliot Willis, of Great Oakley.

The protest was also held ahead of a three-day strike by members of the National Education Union who work at Tendring Technology College, which is starting today.

They will form picket lines outside the school’s two campuses in response to reported cuts to teaching and support staff jobs by the Academy Enterprise Trust, which runs the college.

Clacton and Frinton Gazette:

Year 8 protester Fallon Conway, 13, said she believes cutting support staff will impact the extent to which mental health support can be provided to pupils in need.

She said: “The whole meaning of the protest was to raise awareness about mental health and to let people know it’s OK not to be OK and it is OK to speak up.

“Teachers, staff and students were allowed to join in because adults also suffer with mental health issues.

“We, as a school, need more mental health support because the Academies Enterprise Trust is taking away support units, so the protest is to get everyone’s voices heard.”

The students’ protest was eventually shut down but some parents feared it got out of hand.

Speaking anonymously, one said: “It was carnage and could have been handled better.”

A spokeswoman for Tendring Technology College said: “Everyone within the TTC community places well-being and mental health at the heart of our daily practice.

“Under the new structure, we are creating a new post responsible for personal development, safeguarding and wellbeing, as well as a new full-time director of pastoral care.

“This will add more specialist expertise to provide the targeted support that our students need.

“Over the last year, TTC has pioneered a whole school approach to social, emotional, mental welfare and development.

“We will continue to invest in mental health and wellbeing programmes so that young people feel supported and able to talk safely about the issues and challenges they are facing.”