15-21 was Mental Health Awareness Week and in her assembly, Dr Mair focused on this and made pupils aware that this year’s theme was ‘Anxiety.’ The main reason that anxiety was chosen for this year’s mental health awareness week is that many charities who support mental health are eager to break the silence that can exist around anxiety. Instead, they want us to talk about how we deal with anxious thoughts so that we can help each other through this experience. Dr Mair pointed out that in its broadest sense, anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear that holds you back from doing everyday tasks. For most people, anxiety is short-lived, but for others, it is more sustained and it can result in symptoms such as sleeplessness, appetite loss or appetite gain and even panic attacks.
Dr Mair offered the following advice about how we can overcome anxiety; she suggested speaking to a friend or family member can be helpful as talking can also help us to gain a different perspective on the thing we’re worried about or help us identify a different way to approach the problem, fresh air is also another winner – getting out into the open and listening to the birds while taking some deep breaths is a sure fire way to help anyone feel more relaxed. Dr Mair also pointed out that there is an abundance of evidence to show that exercise can really help with anxiety – whether it be a brisk walk, a run or playing a team sport, the endorphins that are released give empowering levels of confidence, which can help defeat negative thoughts. She concluded by inviting pupils in their forms to spend 5-10 minutes in form time to share some of these tips so that together we can build up a bank of ways to help ourselves if we do ever find we’re feeling anxious.
Positive mental health is an important issue for us at school. Pupils who feel anxious are able to talk in the first instance with their form tutor who they see twice a day. Heads of Year and Heads of Key Stage have also complete basic training in how to support pupils’ mental well being and pupils are always free to chat with their pastoral staff. Both Mr Bousfield and Mrs Simms are qualified Mental Health First Aiders and we also have a fully qualified counsellor and therapist, Lee Wilkes, available to all our pupils.
Within our PSHE programme topic areas such as Managing Emotions and Healthy Relationships in Year 7, Self Esteem and Balancing work and leisure in Year 8, Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Wellbeing in Year 9, Positive Mental Health and Promoting Emotional Wellbeing in Year 10 and Healthy Relationships in Year 11, all ensure that pupils throughout their time at the school are able to discuss key mental health issues and receive advice on positive wellbeing.
Newcastle under Lyme School’s youngest pupils have raised over £5000 for Cancer Research UK by completing a sponsored walk ‘from’ Newcastle-under-Lyme to Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia.
Louis Bond: “The site of the camp was much larger than I had ever expected. Much of the camp was destroyed, but there were the cabin like structures at the front of the complex which were tiny in comparison to the number of people who were forced to stay in them. At the rear of the
Mount Pleasant, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1DB
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