EDUCATION EDITION
ALL ABOUT BALANCE Our local schools recognise the importance of delivering a balanced curriculum to children – helping them excel not just academically, but socially and personally. To achieve this harmony, schools have introduced new programmes to support creativity and mental wellbeing possible opportunity.” Its school improvement plan places
the benefits for our brains have become widely disseminated. The Mental Health Foundation reported that 45% of people found spending time in nature helped them cope during the pandemic, and overall happiness is revitalised by verdant spaces. For little ones, the added plus of getting out into the green is the potential for learning and play. With so many critters and creatures to discover, it’s one of the few times allowing kids to run riot can reap rewards – and schools are taking stock. On top of the two wellbeing rooms where students can seek sanctuary if needed, St Mary’s has opened an innovative new learning space – an outdoor classroom in its senior school. “The biophilic classroom in our sixth form will help boost the health, wellbeing and productivity of
communication front and centre. School council is pivotal in enabling pupils to express their views and making them feel listened to; a buddy system, pairing younger with older children, gives them a shoulder to stand on; and a rights-based system has even been established to restore confidence. “Our ‘Golden Charter of Rights’ came out of our involvement in the Unicef Rights Respecting Schools Award some years ago,” Amanda recalls. “We focus on children having the right to learn, be happy and safe, respected and heard.” BACK TO NATURE We’ve all hankered after the great outdoors over the past two years – and
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