February 7th 2019
Year 7 Spread a Positive Message
Over the first half of this half- term, Year 7 have been using the concept of 'Positive Post-it notes' to reinforce the need for positivity around school. Inspired by a TED Talk from a young lady called Caitlin Haacke who devised the concept, the boys have been using their post-it notes to thank peers from the year group as well as staff for the things they have done for them.
One of the best stories has been around a play date being arranged by boys sharing post-it notes that may never have otherwise happened. It has also been a surprise to see the effect that the notes have had on staff who have received them! As we draw to the end of Children's Mental Health Week, it is perhaps worth focusing on how a small piece of paper can make such a difference to people and how they feel about themselves.
As part of Children's Mental Health Week, Mr Beardmore-Gray presented an Assembly to the boys about ‘worries’ and the importance of speaking to someone if you ever feel anxious. The theme of Child Mental Health Awareness Week is ‘Healthy: Inside and Out’ and the Headmaster talked about the people you can go to when you fall over and hurt yourself.
He then asked for a show of hands from the boys if they ever feel worried and almost every boy raised his hand. The boys then went on to discuss who they would talk to if they felt anxious.
The Headmaster concluded his Assembly with some quotes from Winnie the Pooh about the importance of taking time out occasionally and allowing yourself time to reflect and the calming effect that sharing your problems can have on you.
