Education

Girls find recipe for success with Leiths commendation

The girls in the Upper Sixth at Bruton School have been cooking up a storm, having achieved the highest number of distinctions in the prestigious Professional Certificate in Food and Wine course awarded in the past 11 years. The girls’ outstanding results also included the highest number of merit grades and a commendation certificate from the Leiths School of Food and Wine for their professionalism in delivering canapés for a sixth form wine tasting event, and all within the guidelines of covid-19 restrictions. Individual boxes were served, with 12 different canapés, showing a wide range of skills. They also achieved Level 2 Food Hygiene and Safety certification, and they await the Level 2 catering qualification results which they completed concurrently with the Leiths Certificate, to be published in the summer along with A-level results. Headmistress Jane Evans said: “I am immensely proud of the girls for achieving such incredible results, let alone during the year we all faced a pandemic! I know that the skills they have all learnt throughout the course will stand them in good stead for life after they leave BSG. “Well done, girls.”

SOMETHING’S COOKING: Pupils show off their Leiths certificates

Tree-mendous effort at village school

Children at Stower Provost Primary School in Gillingham have dug in and planted their very own tree in one more step towards their mission to become carbon neutral. According to scientists, planting billions of trees is one of the biggest and cheapest ways of taking carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. And following a successful bid by the Parent Teacher and Friends Association (PTFA) to the Woodland Trust, some 345 mixed trees and hedgerow plants were donated to every pupil in the school. Weekend working parties and planting during school lunchtimes were organised so every child could take part in Stower Provost’s latest eco42

THE FORK THAT COUNTS: Children at Stower Provost Primary School plant their tree

project. With almost all of the school’s energy coming from renewable sources, including heating the swimming pool, this is another step in the school’s goal to become carbon neutral. Headteacher James Stanford said: “The children are thrilled to have the responsibility of ensuring their trees thrive and the school’s motto, ‘Together We Grow’ has never been more accurate!”

School keeps pupils’ well-being in mind

By Richard Hull deputy head at William Barnes School in Sturminster Newton

As the children have returned to school, the children’s wellbeing has been a renewed focus for all schools and at William Barnes Primary School in Sturminster Newton in particular. Following the period of partial school closure in January and February and as the country moved into another period of national lockdown, concerns about the mental health of all citizens, but children in particular have come to the fore. Separated from their friends, unable to mix and play with other children and dealing with the social pressure caused by home learning and home working in families with limited devices, it has been no wonder that all children have needed extra support and care on their return to school. At William Barnes, head teacher Karen Wrixon has recognised the need to increase the focus on the well-being of her staff and students and, accordingly the school has introduced a number of new initiatives. To help children understand and regulate their emotions and their behaviour, the teaching staff have been exploring a tried and tested approach to improve mental health and well-being called ‘emotion coaching’. Originally developed in the USA by psychologist Daniel Gottman, the approach is backed by decades of positive research studies, and has recently become regarded as best practice across the UK. At the heart of ‘emotion coaching’ is the attitude that an outburst of strong emotions is the ideal opportunity for a child to learn about their feelings. When difficult emotions are experienced, children are encouraged to explore them with an adult, before establishing clear boundaries. As soon as the child has calmed down, they are encouraged to seek solutions to any problems that the child might have created during the time when they were overwhelmed by the strong emotion. Finally, any consequences for their actions are agreed and put into place to complete the process. ‘Emotion coaching’ is being backed up across the school by a second tried and tested method known as ‘I Can Problem Solve’. Children to learn to find their own solutions to issues that naturally occur as they play, interact and learn within a school setting. It is designed to systematically develop children’s sensitivity and awareness of other children’s feelings before utilising their creativity to think of a variety of possible solutions to problems before then choosing their preferred solution. At first the program considers hypothetical scenarios which the children then naturally begin to apply to their day to day experience. To begin with, small groups of children throughout the school are being given the opportunity to take part in ‘I Can Problem Solve’ using three, 15 to 20 minute sessions weekly. Each year group has a scheme of work designed to match the needs of the children as they progress through the school. Both these new developments integrate perfectly with the school’s long term advocacy for Mindfulness as a tool to improve well-being and selfawareness. Using a whole school approach called ‘Jigsaw’, the children from year R to year 6 have a weekly ‘calm me’ session and this enables them to develop an understanding of the importance of periods of quiet reflection during their busy lives. In year 5 in particular, Mr Hull, who has been practising mindfulness for over 25 years, has been starting every day straight after registration with a minute session that involves the children sitting in their chairs in a special super alert posture called their ‘calm me’ position. The children then complete a body scan moving from their toes to the crown of their head, before Mr Hull guides them through the day’s practice. The children often enjoy guided visualisations where they embark on imaginary journeys including climbing rainbows, scaling magic mountains and visiting peaceful caves. On other days, the children learn breathing techniques that help them feel relaxed and peaceful. The children also use positive affirmations and thoughts to help them appreciate and enjoy each day. Mr Hull has been amazed by the imagination of the children during the visualisations and how they are now using the various Mindfulness tools they have tried to help them in their daily lives. He has also seen substantial improvements in their focus and concentration during lesson, and the quality of their relationships at play times. Head teacher Karen Wrixon expects that this three pronged approach of ‘Emotion Coaching, ‘I can problem solve’, and Mindfulness will continue to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of the staff and children at the school for years to come, helping them to develop resilience in the face of the challenges of modern life.

EMOTIONAL WELLBEING: William Barnes School pupils adopt their ‘calm me’ posture

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