How boarding benefits the wellbeing of pupils Genevieve Ford, Deputy Head (Pastoral) and Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), Downe House School
The word ‘wellbeing’ is used a lot in today’s culture but what does it really mean? When the Office for National Statistics (ONS) measures wellbeing it looks at an ‘individual’s feelings of satisfaction with life, whether they feel the things they do in their life are worthwhile and their positive and negative emotions.’1
FINDING A BALANCE At Downe House we are clear that for us wellbeing means balance. Our wellbeing programme is called ‘Finding Balance’. Through this programme we hope to help pupils balance academic demands against co-curricular commitments, balance time to socialise with friends and time to be alone, take advantage of a good range of activities while also finding space for reflection and calm in the day. I firmly believe that being in a boarding environment allows young people to find this balance for themselves and in this way they gain skills they need to navigate through life. In my role as Deputy Head (Pastoral) I am responsible for the welfare of all the girls at Downe House. This involves a holistic approach to pastoral care. The latest NHS 1 2
survey of the mental health of young
House, as at all good schools, there is
people in England found that ‘one in eight
nothing we want more than for pupils to
5- to 19-year-olds had at least one mental
be happy, secure and able to fulfil their
disorder when assessed in 2017.’2 No
true potential.
school can afford to ignore this statistic. When thinking about how boarding
TIME AND SPACE When talking to prospective parents thinking about a boarding education, I always highlight to them that one of the greatest benefits of full boarding is the gift of time and space. The extended day allows pupils increased access to learning, enrichment programmes, sport, fun and friendship without the stress and constraints of a commute at the beginning and end of the day. This time also allows us to know pupils well and support not only their academic progress but also their physical and mental wellbeing. At Downe
benefits pupil wellbeing it is imperative to talk about the community that these schools offer. In a boarding environment a pupil should always have adults they can talk to – it could be a member of the boarding staff, their academic tutor or teaching staff. Well-run boarding schools nurture a strong and supportive community in which teaching and boarding staff work closely together to ensure that every boarder is happy, safe, valued, involved, supported, stretched and challenged.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/wellbeing/articles/measuresofnationalwellbeingdashboard/2018-04-25 https://digital.nhs.uk/news-and-events/latest-news/one-in-eight-of-five-to-19-year-olds-had-a-mental-disorder-in-2017-major-new-survey-finds
