Mental Health Awareness Week
18th May 2024
This week we have connected, noticed, learned, given and been active for better mental health.
Monday - Connect: students wrote down positive words, quotes or phrases and then created beautiful paper chains which now decorate the atrium in the sixth form block. They demonstrate the connections between us and the support we can show to others to lift them up if they feel down.
Tuesday - Take Notice: during form time students explored some different bitesize mindfulness and meditation activities; have a go at some yourself at home!
Heartbeat: A Mindfulness Exercise to Calm Your Emotions
The 5-4-3-2-1 Method: A Grounding Exercise to Manage Anxiety
Guided laughter meditation (60 SECONDS OF HAPPINESS!)
Wednesday - Keep Learning: students took part in a range of workshops to learn something new. Knitting, microwave cooking, American Football, Karate, Chess; the list to choose from gave opportunities to explore a new game, skill or activity.
Thursday - Give: A big thank you to Mr Njagi and Mrs Entonu, together with the year 12 community service and BTEC teams, for organising an amazing bake sale. Together with the non-uniform day, this raised Ksh 53,114/- which will be donated to the Kenya Red Cross to fund their work supporting the victims of the recent floods with their mental and physical health.
Friday - Be Active: the day started with some Just Dance during form time to raise the energy levels and we ended the day with an inter-form Ultimate Frisbee competition. 10B and 9N were the two victorious sides. Thank you to team PE for organising.
The week has shown students a range of ways in which they can foster positive well-being on a daily basis as well as provide some tools for them to draw upon when they find things are not going so well. Just like understanding the importance of sleep, diet, exercise and hydration for our physical health, we must also learn about ways to look after our minds.
Maddy Jackson
Deputy Head Teacher Pastoral
