Warning! This Day will be Good for your Health

On Thursday 21 June, a whole day entitled: Warning! This Day will be Good for your Health,  was in the calendar for all 90 girls in Year 10 to spend the day talking about the importance of mental and physical health and well-being, as we concentrate on techniques to keep our minds, bodies and spirits healthy.

Organised by Ms Walker, Director of Sixth Form, the day included a morning’s programme of inspirational speakers followed by an afternoon of fun physical activities.

In the morning the girls heard from Maz Udall of the Self-Esteem Team, who shared techniques to combat stress and anxiety. They also took part in an ‘Overcoming Insecurities’ workshop and discussed how to silence our ‘inner gremlins’ with alumna and actress Stacey Sampson.

The girls heard about physical, mental and social wellbeing from Patrick Johnston, Director of Learning and Practice at Place 2 Be, the mental health charity supported by HRH Duchess of Cambridge, and Deana Puccio from the RAP Project gave a powerful talk about staying safe on and offline, and how social media can negatively affect body image and self-esteem.

After an intensive morning, the girls felt that they were equipped with strategies from each session to be mindful of as they head into Year 11. In the afternoon there was a selection of fun physical activities to feed the spirit, including an inflatable assault course, a dance class, a yoga class, a nature trail walk and a park run.

The day offered invaluable advice. As one Year 10 parent commented: ‘It is fantastic that the school is tackling these issues head on with events such as the Year 10 Health Day. It has given my daughter insights into the problems others may face, has reassured her that she is not alone and has provided some tools to deal with day to day problems. It also stressed to her the importance of all girls showing kindness, understanding and support for one another.’