Mental Health Awareness Week

May 13th 2024

Mental Health Awareness Week...

Inter-House Tug of War...

Yogalates and Hip-Hop Dancing...

As we continue to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Week with a focus on movement, King's pupils delved into some creative dance with professional dancer, Holly. Having done various relaxation-based activities including Meditation, Thai-Chi and Yogalates over the start of the week, it was time to turn up the notch and bring some more energy to the table. On what turned out to be quite a rainy Thursday, we resorted to the JCR to get involved in the whole school hip-hop dance session and learn a short routine to the song ‘lil boo thang’. The upbeat dance session got pupils endorphins up and taught them a fun, new skill. Special mention to Mrs Simper, Mrs Griffiths, Mrs Dixon and Mrs Loveless who took to the dancing with much enthusiasm and showed off their moves. Well done to everyone who came to get involved and thank you to Holly for teaching us some great new dance moves.

Liv - L6^th Form Wellesley House

During Mental Health Awareness Week, there have been many fun but calming events to support the charity Beat. Yesterday, I participated in Yoga Pilates, a session run by Ms Bell-West. I loved the calming atmosphere, surrounded by giggles and a bit of fun, the mix of gentle stretches, yet quite strenuous core exercises left me feeling balanced and more connected to my body. It was a refreshing getaway from work and classes, and a perfect moment to unwind.

Alex - L6^th Form Arion House

It wasn’t the pouring rain that made the JCR packed with pupils and staff, alike, on Thursday afternoon, it was Holly’s Hip-Hop session for Mental Health Week. Boys and girls from 3^rd to 6^th Form were accompanied by some twinkle-toed teachers (perhaps just in their heads) to learn a fast and funky Hip-Hop routine to Lil Boo Thang by Paul Russell.

Energy levels were raised, and moods lifted, as Holly gave us all a real Hip-Hop hoot; it was just the tonic and an important reminder that socialising and challenging ourselves to try new things are so important for both our physical and mental wellbeing. We might not have all perfected the routine, but we all left with smiles on our faces!

Rebecca Dixon - Learning Support Teacher

Ms Bell-West, business teacher at King’s and also an expert in Yogalates offered a session of Yogalates to the pupils for the wellbeing week.

A yogalates class combines intense core and abdominal strength work with popular yoga poses such as the warrior pose, downward-facing dog, and sun salutations. The weather was shining, and pupils came to join the class outdoors in quiet and perfect surroundings. The experience was phenomenal, and everyone felt a real sense of wellbeing.

Agathe Webb - Head of MFL

#KSBWellbeing #KSBPastoral

Tai Chi Workshop...

It was fantastic to welcome John from Health Tai Chi to do a Tai Chi workshop for King’s Bruton pupils and staff. Following the theme of movement, John provided the opportunity for us all to learn 8 Tai Chi exercises which really stretched the muscles and made us feel great. Some of the pupils had already done Tai Chi before and they were the experts with superb poise and head movements. It was so good to have the experience of trying Tai Chi and something which I would love to do again. Thank you to Mrs Loveless for organising the workshop and giving us the opportunity to experience Tai Chi at King’s.

Emily Simper - Deputy Head, Pastoral

#KSBWellbeing #KSBPastoral

Meditation Workshop...

It was wonderful to welcome Ella from Blissworks to King's Bruton to lead a workshop on meditation. Pupils and staff learnt about different methods of meditation which help with cognitive function, stress relief and are clinically proven to prevent Alzheimer's. We benefited from 30 minutes of relaxation, and left with some helpful tips on how to manage our wellbeing in moments of pressure.

Emilie Loveless - Wellesley Housemistress

#KSBWellbeing #KSBPastoral

Mental Health Awareness Week was launched in Assembly...

Mrs Loveless - Wellesley Housemistress

This week at King’s, we have Mental Health Awareness Week, and the theme this year is Movement.. For a long time, there was a significant stigma attached to mental health and so it is important that we continue to openly talk about mental wellbeing. Our motivation is to bring people together, encourage solidarity in facing mental health issues and to give everybody the opportunity to try new activities which may help people manage their wellbeing in the long term, ensuring that this week is not just tokenistic.

Alexina - L6^th Form Priory House

For mental health week the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee thought it would be a good idea to highlight ways that can help to promote a positive emotional wellbeing. One of the main things that we think can help is ‘being in good physical health and movement.’ This is important as even going on a ten minute walk every few days gives time for you to clear your head, relax and reset. As a school, we do a lot of sports already, but this extra time to yourself, or spent with friends, is a really great way to check in on yourselves. Alongside this eating a balanced diet and staying in good physical health is also important for your mental wellbeing.

Having the time and the freedom to do what you want, is so important when it comes to looking after yourselves, taking that small amount of time each day to be calm and reflect is really important when it comes to looking after your mental wellbeing, for me, I try to read a chapter of my book every day to keep in check with my mental wellbeing.

Getting involved in local activities is a great way to keep in touch with yourself, some of the activities that Winne and Fred talk about below could be a great way for you to check in on your mental health. Most of all, feeling valued and loved, as well as having the strength to cope when something is wrong and the ability to solve problems in order to have control over your life. This is arguably the most important part of your mental health. Mental health is a priority in everyone’s lives, and this week is vital for taking the time to reflect on yourselves especially during exam seasons.

Tom - L6^th Form Lyon House

This year, Movement is the theme for this Mental Health Awareness Week and is a great way to enhance our wellbeing. Even a short burst of 10 minutes brisk walking can boost our mood, increase mental alertness and improve our energy. Movement helps us feel better about our bodies and improve self-esteem. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety as well as significantly improving sleep quality. It is estimated that 36% of UK adults find it challenging to find the time for physical activity and many of us struggle to move enough. We know that there are many reasons for neglecting exercise, which is why during this Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to help people find ways to enjoy daily movements and experience the mental improvements. Whether you’re going for a walk around your neighbourhood, or slow running on the treadmill - it all counts and benefits our mental health.

Winnie - L6^th Form Wellesley House and Fred - L6^th Form Blackford House

The EDI committee have been working very hard at organising a week full of activities which are centred around this year’s theme of Movement.

Here is our programme:

Monday - Today is also our ‘wear it green’ mufti day, so thank you to everyone who is already wearing green. You may actually be wondering why we’re wearing green today and it may seem pointless to you. However, green is the colour for mental health because it is associated with concepts like new life, renewal, and growth in nature. This symbolism is intended to represent the idea that people with mental health challenges can experience recovery, healing, and personal growth. It’s really important to wear your green today as it is a subtle yet powerful expression of empathy and solidarity, reminding us all to prioritise mental wellbeing and support those navigating their own struggles with compassion and understanding. Meditation is shown to have many positive impacts not only on our mental health but also on reducing things like Alzheimer’s and other neuro degenerative diseases. This has even been shown by the NHS in numerous studies. This means that when we have the opportunity we should all be trying to meditate and having this option on Monday is an amazing chance to give it a go.

On Tuesday, there will be a morning run before breakfast for anyone interested, as exercise is an amazing way to improve mental health. At break there will be free cookies and hot chocolate outside the JCR for the 5^th Form and games will be provided for anyone who wishes to play. In the afternoon, there will be Tai Chi which is a Chinese martial art that has been transformed into a way of promoting movement and relaxation however, it is still simple so anyone can join in and we really hope you enjoy it.

On Wednesday, there will be free cookies and hot chocolate at breaktime outside the JCR for 3^rd Form. In the afternoon at 4.30pm, there will be a yogalates workshop with Ms Bell West on Paddock. This will be a great session beneficial for anyone - regardless of age or fitness level. Yogalates can bring many positive impacts to your mental health and physical health, such as enhancing your thinking, boosting your mood, and promoting strength.

On Thursday, there will be hot chocolate and cookies provided for the Upper 6^th Form out on Paddock as well as games. In the afternoon, there will be a Hip Hop Dance Class on Paddock to promote movement and create socialisation amongst year groups. Movement is such an important factor in mental health, which is why there has been such a massive focus on it. We also want to emphasise the social part of this afternoon which is why it would be lovely if we could get as many people as possible to come.

On Friday, there will be a House breakfast run, there will be free cookies and hot chocolate at breaktime outside the JCR for 4^th Form. In the afternoon, there will be a mixed-gender football match on Abbey at 4 o’clock with Mr Loveless and Mr Cole. We’d like to see as many players there as possible. Don’t worry if you have little football experience or have never played before - this will be a fun and friendly game.

In the evening, there will be a whole school House Night on Hyde with free ice cream followed by Inter-House Tug of War so please make sure you get your teams ready.