FOR this week’s In the Classroom feature, reporter Grace Walton took a trip to King’s St Alban’s, in Mill Street, Worcester. The school has a strong focus on mental health and there are a range of activities on offer to help promote the student’s wellbeing.
PUPILS were keen to take part in Children’s Mental Health week where they engaged in activities looking at maintaining a healthy mind.
They learnt about the importance of sleep, connecting through food and the importance of physical activity. Everyone had the opportunity to explore mindful techniques and do some colouring to relaxing music, as well as perform yoga and each morning take part in a ‘wake up and stretch’ session.
King’s St Alban’s headteacher, Richard Chapman said: “We know that happy children succeed, and this philosophy has always been key to school life at KSA, but through our involvement in the Mindfulness in Schools Project we have been able to take this to a new level.
“Childhood is an important developmental stage and we are laying the foundations for well-being and mental health in adulthood. Teaching mindfulness gives children the skills they need to self-manage, whether that be to cope with difficult emotions or simply to refocus positive energy.
“We want the students to have a variety of opportunities and find their niche. Not everyone is good at everything, but it’s about embracing opportunities and trying out new things.”
Classes were asked to rank their happiness before and after five minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise to music. The average score went from 3.6 to 4.6 out of 5. The whole ethos at the school is teaching the children to develop their mindset and be resilient. Liz Lewis, leader of the mindfulness initiative, completed the Paws B training course and has started teaching classes across Year 5 and 6. The Paws B programme includes presentations, worksheets and discussions as well as breathing techniques, which the students are encouraged to practise.
Mrs Lewis said: “Since we’ve increased our focus on mindfulness, we have noticed that the children are far calmer and more fulfilled, their concentration levels are significantly increased and hence they perform better both in and out of the classroom.”
Mrs Lewis leads dance lessons to promote wellbeing and allow the children to embrace themselves.
Talking about the dance sessions, Henry Hawes, aged 10 said: “Dance club wouldn’t be my thing, but these dance classes are really fun. Everyone enjoys taking part and it is about trying something we wouldn’t usually get involved in.”
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