One of the school's key focus areas is the wellbeing of everyone in our school community. Our Google Classroom (code wbiqgsb) will tell you more about what that looks like in our school. In short, we are actively looking for ways to Thrive: Talking, Helping, Resting and Recovering, gaining Insight, shared Values and Exercise. These are all key elements to promoting positive mental health and wellbeing and reducing the risks day to day life can pose to it.
As parents and carers, we are often inundated with suggestions for how to make the young people we love feel better. This can, at times, make it difficult to know where to start. Helpfully, West Sussex County Council have created an area on their website for a one stop shop of suggestions which are quick and easy to use. You don't have to be in crisis to use these tips or suggestions. In fact, it's a very good idea to take a look and get some information so that, if the need arises, you feel more ready in knowing what to do next.
Action Your Potential
We work in partnership with 'Action Your Potential' https://www.actionyourpotential.org/ in order to help our students see the links between positive wellbeing and effective study habits. The aim of the programme - which is delivered through Tutor Time - is to support students in managing their own wellbeing; skills we hope they will then incorporate into their everyday lives.
The programme is designed to reflect the skills students need at specific times of the year. For example, Key Stage 4 students will focus on exam and revision skills in the build up to their assessment windows. We want to ensure that all our students are fully prepared and equipped to deal with the emotional and academic challenges that they will face.
All students have access to the Neuroninja Hub https://actionyourpotential.learnworlds.com/which allows access to hundreds of bitesize videos which focus on the specific habits of effective study or wellbeing that are covered in tutor time. Please do have a look with your child if you would like to find out more.
Parents and carers can also sign up to the Hub (click here) where you can sign up for (or watch recordings of) webinars to guide us through the challenges of having young people in secondary school and how to support them.
Our work on Wellbeing is also supported by the PSE and RSHE lessons which run through all Year Groups and builds upon knowledge and skills along each student's learning journey.
Intervention that promotes healthy mental health & wellbeing
We are delighted and excited to inform all parents and carers of Year 12 students that Bishop Luffa Sixth Form has been chosen to participate and be part of a new research study developed by lead researchers at UCL, Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. It will involve an online intervention which focuses on improving student’s ability to regulate their emotions and improve their mental health and well-being. It promotes positive beliefs about emotions – the idea is that you can control your emotions, and with practice, you can get better at it. If you are interested please look at this 2-minute YouTube clip on this topic which summarises a recent systematic review of the literature that was carried out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=US78BzDUL3s
We are confident that this collaborative project is in line with our school’s values and ethos and it is a fantastic opportunity that gives us access to new materials that will support our student’s well-being.
The IOE (UCL's Faculty of Education and Society is the world's leading centre for education and social science research, teaching, and engagement.) has been ranked first globally in the QS Global Rankings for Education, so this is an excellent opportunity for our Sixth Form and the students to work with globally significant research.
