Message from the Director of Student Wellbeing

Dear Parents and Guardians

This week in our Student Wellbeing Programme our Year 7s took part in workshops run by Consent Labs. Our philosophy is to provide our students with a sound understanding of concepts such as consent, in a way that relates to them. This can be in terms of boundaries in friendships including how to use words to express how you feel, how to read body language and how to ensure you feel safe. Obviously there has been a lot of media attention on the topic of consent, so starting with these foundations in Year 7 will help our young people to gain an understanding of what consent is and how to understand if they have crossed a boundary.

Year 8 took part in a workshop run by Elephant Ed on language and labelling. This session was around how the words we use can have an impact and the damage labelling someone can have. Some of the feedback I have received from students include:

“I have learnt that words hold a lot of power.”

“We shouldn’t judge others.”

“I learnt about what it is to be respectful.”

Once again this is important for our students to understand how their words can be unkind to others.

Year 9 focused on how to develop a growth mindset, and this is something that we constantly reinforce in our classroom teaching and learning, on the sport field, in the arts and music domain and when they need to work through problem solving.

Year 10 were given the chance to discuss cancel culture and how young people can perhaps look to resolve disputes in a less public, online manner and instead focus on communication that allows for meaningful conversations.

Year 11 worked through a study skills session developed by Ms Fletcher, Head of Year 11 College. She is working with the students to ensure they feel supported in their academic pursuits.

Finally, Year 12 were given the freedom to have adult conversations in their Mentor groups about the big issues they are facing now. The feedback from these sessions is that they relish to opportunity to have the safe space to be able to voice their opinions and views.

Regards

Angelique Sanders
Director of Student Wellbeing