RGS WELLBEING FESTIVAL
R E I G AT E G R A M M A R S C H O O L
Reflection: personal & spiritual growth
Community & giving
Excercise & nutrition
KINDNESS
Curious minds
Family & friends
Sustainability
W E L L B E I N G F E S T I VA L
FROM THE DEPUTY HEADTEACHER We are delighted to be holding a Wellbeing Festival at RGS this term to raise awareness of the different ways we can all look after our own mental health and wellbeing. There are particular themes we are looking at, including: resilience, perseverance, being open-minded and working together. However, nurturing and supporting wellbeing involves aiming for balance within our lives. There will be chances for children to study the psychology of happiness or to be inspired by stories of athletes overcoming the odds, as they consider the importance of emotional resilience in supporting their emotional health. We want every child to have an ‘emotional health tool kit’ - a range of resources to enjoy the challenges and opportunities of modern life.
Positive mental emotional health is at the centre of everything we do. Staff are encouraged to make this their priority. For example, mindfulness is part of life at RGS - there is flexibility in the curriculum, children are encouraged to enjoy Mindapples (one of their 5-a-day for supporting good emotional health), as well as peer mentoring, outdoor education, and days where we just have fun! We also have a Wellbeing Centre where you will find The Snug. This is an area with bean bags, sofas, warm lighting and generous cushions. A place for children to take time out in their busy days.
We want our children to have opportunities to do what they love, learn new things, spend time with friends and family, have a trusted adult they can talk things through with, lots of fresh air and exercise and chances to laugh and to laugh often. This brochure offers a small taste of some of the events and activities taking place and we look forward to welcoming you along to some of the Parent Forums on offer. Sarah Arthur Deputy Headteacher sja@reigategrammar.org
CURIOUS MINDS
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HAPPINESS
NATIONAL POETRY WEEK
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
w/c 1 October Our new Head of Psychology, Miss Lee, will be delivering lessons on the Psychology of Happiness. Students will be encouraged to think about what happiness is and whether it is easy to define. In addition, you will understand the science behind what makes us happy and take away some useful strategies to help you increase your happiness.
During the week beginning 1 October, students will be considering how the theme of change affects their personal development and wellbeing. The English Department will be challenging students to consider what change means to them.
Alongside lessons, students will be encouraged to stretch their minds, through talks and lectures in our Beyond the Classroom programme. Mr Newman has already secured speakers for the Autumn Term Lecture series including: Dominic Collins talking about Virtual Reality, Lal Chadeesingh on the power of Nudge and James Mellor discussing the role of Political Cartoons.
CURIOUS MINDS
WELLBEING JOURNAL
DROP EVERYTHING AND READ
HPL (HIGH PERFORMANCE LEARNING)
w/c 19 November Look out for the First Edition of the RGS Wellbeing Journal. This is the brainchild of our Wellbeing Committee and will be written and produced entirely by the students, with a focus on opening discussions about how young people can find balance in their lives.
What could be better as the evenings draw in than curling up with a good book and relaxing? During this week of our Wellbeing Festival, students will be swapping their usual homework for reading. Look out for events from the library, including book drops!
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
This term we are launching our partnership with Professor Deborah Eyre to introduce High Performance Learning to RGS. HPL is based on scientific research showing that it is possible to grow intelligence in all students leading to strong academic results; wellmotivated, engaged and life-ready students; and community confidence in practice. In lessons, students will be encouraged to see the big picture, to see alternative perspectives, to make links and to think creatively.
2018
REFLECTION AND PERSONAL GROWTH
YOGA
MINDFULNESS
7 PLUS
Sally Harper, a trained yoga specialist with a particular interest in teen yoga and wellbeing will be running taster session for students and staff, with a view to this becoming a permanent club.
RGS has been promoting the benefits of mindfulness for a number of years now and it forms part of our curriculum, however, look out for additional opportunities to pause and take a breath during the festival, including special mindfulness sessions and wellbeing walks.
Sixth Form students will be offered a wellbeing carousel during the Festival, raising awareness around topics which are relevant to them as they enter a new phase in their lives and begin thinking about preparation for university. They will look at student life and relationships, financial wellbeing, personal development through travel and public speaking, and what your digital profile says about you. They will discuss gender, multiculturalism, current affairs and the environment. Part of enjoying a life of balance and wellbeing is thinking beyond your particular experience and considering the community around you, nationally and internationally.
Sally is keen to welcome students and assures us that you don’t have to be bendy!
REFLECTION AND PERSONAL GROWTH
REFLECTION
It is important in our busy days to have moments of calm, to just be. We will be encouraging pupils to have moments of reflection before and after Church assemblies. These are a chance for pupils to enjoy quiet, with no digital distractions. To reflect on their own place in the world, to think about acts of kindness, to consider friends and family, to think beyond RGS and Reigate, to consider lives beyond their own.
FLOURISHING AT SCHOOL
The Fourth Form will be finding out to what extent they have developed the pillars of good mental health to stay well and enjoy their lives, and looking at what steps they can take to develop this further. Mr Hetherington will be taking a lead on this with the year group – hopefully opening up some interesting opportunities for discussion and reflection.
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
DIGITAL DETOXES
At RGS we love developments in technology and the opportunities for learning that social media and the internet provide – we are lucky to live in a time with such incredible access to information. However, we also know that this can become overwhelming at times and Mr Lobb and the student Digital Committee will be encouraging Digital Detoxes, Digital Sunsets and raising awareness about how to use all the wonderful technology available but in moderation.
2018
CURIOUS MINDS
CURIOUS MINDS
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
2018
WELLBEING SPEAKERS
ALICIA DRUMMOND
DR ARIC SIGMAN
IAN ROSE
September
31 October
5 December 7:00-8:00pm
Dr Aric Sigman will be speaking about The Pressures of Physical Appearance and Body Image.
Ian is one of Great Britain’s most successful Paralympic Judoka (a judo expert, in other words).
Alicia Drummond of Let’s Talk is a BACP Accredited Counsellor and author of Why Every Teenager Needs a Parrot.
Dr Sigman has a BSc in Psychology, a Master of Science degree in The Neurophysiological Basis of Behaviour, and a PhD in the field of the role of attention in autonomic nervous system self-regulation. More available on www.aricsigman.com/
He was a Torchbearer and an Opening Ceremony performer for the London 2012 Paralympic Games, as well as winner of two Paralympic, five World Championship and nine European Championship medals. Ian will be speaking to students about his experiences. More information available at http://ianrose.co.uk/
She will be talking to Fifth Form students about anxiety and also running a Parent Forum looking at how to support teenagers. Alicia has trained RGS staff previously and is a mum to teenagers herself - we are looking forward to welcoming her again.
WELLBEING SPEAKERS
BOB TAIT
ROBERT HIGGS
SELF-ESTEEM TEAM
17 September 7:00-8:00pm
12 November Anti-Bullying Week
31 October
Bob Tait is speaking to students early in September and then at our Parent Forum on Monday 17 September 2018 (7pm-8pm).
Rob was inspired to begin his Anti-Bullying work after experiencing bullying himself at school. The destructive nature of these experiences motivated him to provide drama presentations and workshops to empower young people and adults to tackle bullying. Rob will be presenting The Boy in the Photograph (drama) to our First Form students.
The Self-Esteem Team are committed to helping young people with the tools they need to navigate their mental health, body image, and ability to perform under pressure. They are visiting students in the Upper School during the Autumn Term to share their ideas. Students who’ve enjoyed their presentations say: “I understand myself so much better than before” and that the speaker “understood us”.
Bob is part of an ex-naval presentation team whose core business is to focus on delivering structured primary substance misuse prevention and early intervention education. He raises awareness on a wide variety of drug and alcohol issues, including legal highs. We look forward to welcoming parents to this presentation.
More on this at www.roberthiggs.co.uk/
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
2018
EXERCISE, ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION
HEALTH, SPORT AND NUTRITION
RUN REIGATE
HEALTHY BREAKFASTS
30 October
16 September
1-8 October
Our professional coaches Mr Bowen and Mr Birkett are leading a pupil and parent forum on 30 October where they will look at how to maximize your performance both on and off the pitch. They will be looking at what can make us feel anxious, how this impacts us and what strategies we can use to turn these feelings into a force for good!
Once again staff, parents and pupils will be entering into the annual challenge that is Run Reigate. The water stations will be manned by pupils from our four Houses: Bird, Cranston, Hodgson and Williamson. Look out for them cheering the runners on and supplying them with a much needed drink as competitors zoom around the course. It is a day of community spirit, healthy competition and exercise!
Our Head of Catering, Mr Paul Rosser, is hosting a series of complimentary healthy breakfasts for all students during October and he will be grabbing this opportunity to talk to them about the most important meal of the day! Mr Rosser has a particular interest in nutrition and will be sharing his expertise with our students while they sample a range of healthy breakfast menus.
EXERCISE, ACTIVITY AND NUTRITION
ACTIVITIES DAY
EXTRACURRICULAR
5 October There are no academic lessons on 5 October. Instead, students will be engaged in a range of activities and events, from CCF to Duke of Edinburgh. From Harry Potter World to welcoming French pen pals. This offers students the chance to get off site, experience something different, try a new challenge and meet new people.
TIME TO EXPLORE 23-25 November
We believe that to enjoy a healthy balanced life there needs to be more to it than just work! RGS students take part in an enormous range of activities beyond the classroom and the Activities Fair in September helps to highlight all that is on offer and encourage participation. Extreme Frisbee, Cheerleading and Taekwondo are just a few examples of ways students can keep active and learn something new.
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
As a mid-term treat, there is a three-day weekend in late November which offers an opportunity for students to do something different. What will you do? How will you nurture your mind and your body? Will you go on a trip? Meet up with family or friends? Volunteer to help someone? Try something new? Or just enjoy the simple pleasure of having no plans and see where the days take you?
2018
COMMUNITY AND GIVING
WELLBEING AND MUSIC
ZUMBATHON
VOLUNTEERING
22 November It is well known that singing together can boost feelings of wellbeing. Our annual House Singing competition is a chance for pupils to work together over a number of weeks and enjoy producing something creative and, hopefully, harmonious! There is also a range of musical highlights during the festival, such as Informal Concerts, RGS Unplugged and the Dorking Halls Concert in November – all of which provide opportunities for students to share their love of music. The First Form will be working on a special musical project together, ready to perform at Dorking Halls.
The First Form will be taking part in a whole year group Zumbathon in November – combining a healthy workout, a lot of laughs and raising money and awareness for LEPRA. More information available at:: www.lepra.org.uk
RGS students are incredible volunteers! Last year they undertook 5,000 hours of volunteering and this year is looking to be no different. Having a sense of community and giving back is understood to help wellbeing and we look forward to hearing how our students have been helping others. There is a huge range of activity going on including conservation work, working in local primary schools or residential homes, helping out in charity shops and our partnership with Loveworks.
COMMUNITY AND GIVING
HOUSE FAMILIES
KINDNESS
Each student is a member of a House for their time at RGS and within their House they are part of a family, made up of a mixture of older and younger students. This helps to build a strong sense of community and friendship amongst different year groups. House student leaders play an important part in supporting the wellbeing of younger students and will also lead House assemblies on important topics, such as anti-bullying awareness.
If in doubt, be kind, be kind be kind! This is a mantra we firmly believe in and it is shown through the work of the prefects and the peer mentors, through the House system and through the everyday moments when someone in our community looks after someone else. However, we will be highlighting the importance of this particularly during National Anti-Bullying Week.
RGS G N I E B WEFLELSTIVAL
PEER AND UPPER SIXTH MENTORS
Our Peer and Upper Sixth Mentors are fully trained and ready to support students from across the school community. The Upper Sixth Mentors are paired with First Form students and help them to settle into life at RGS. Peer Mentors are students who have a passion for helping others and have received training from a counsellor in listening skills. They are available to all students and are based in the Wellbeing Centre and around the school site at lunchtime. Please do stop them for a chat!
2018
Reigate Grammar School, Reigate Road, Reigate, Surrey RH2 0QS 01737 222231 info@reigategrammar.org
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