Wellbeing at the heart of school

A primary school in Croxteth is reaping the rewards of its introduction of wellbeing sessions.

Our Lady and St Swithin’s Primary School has seen its Ofsted rating move out of special measures which it received in 2013 to good.

The change was brought about by the introduction of their present headteacher, Emma Hartley.

Emma said: “When I was first appointed at the school one of the first things I wanted to do was to look at the environment at the school and to make sure it was conducive for the children, and whether the children felt happy and relaxed.

“We then looked at the curriculum and the after school clubs to see what was available and to whether we had the right balance for all children.

“We introduced forest school sessions. These sessions take place on site in our small quad. During forest school sessions the children will have the opportunity to investigate and explore nature and the natural environment.

“Our next focus was the breakfast club, missing breakfast can have negative impact in the classroom, we therefore aim to ensure every child has the best start to their day with a healthy breakfast which will boost concentration, improve behaviour and enhance their academic performance.

“The club started with just seven pupils but we have seen this grow to an average of 52 pupils.

“Our main impact has been the introduction of mindfulness and wellbeing sessions.

“The sessions are rolled out across the whole school so all children can feel the benefit. Sessions include peer massage, yoga and relaxation. We also encourage children to include random acts of kindness in their day. These are written down and then shared amongst each other.

“We have seen such an improvement in the children, we live in such a fast life and at times it can be overwhelming for the children, we find that through our wellbeing classes they can relax and focus and at the same time improve their health”.