Children’s Mental Health Week
9 February 2024
Children Mental Health Week is a mental health awareness week that empowers, equips and gives a voice to all children and young people in the UK. It serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of nurturing the emotional wellbeing of our pupils. The theme this year is ‘My Voice Matter, which is about empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves. In light of this, we provided our boys across different Year Groups with the opportunity to participate in various workshops and sessions.
We were delighted to welcome Buckinghamshire Mind to The Beacon to host a workshop with our Year 4 boys, which highlighted the significance of acknowledging feelings and maintaining both physical and mental health through habits and communication. Buckinghamshire Mind is a local charity that delivers mental health services in our local communities, in Buckinghamshire and East Berkshire. They promote wellbeing and recover; prevent mental ill health; offer talking therapies and provide support in times of crisis. Year 6 delved into stress management, exploring the sources of stress and effective coping mechanisms, whilst understanding the notion that ‘Everyone has mental health’. Year 5 participated in a resilience workshop, fostering teamwork and problem-solving skills to confront challenges. Meanwhile, Year 1 had a workshop with Mrs Drury, our Wellbeing Coach and Counsellor, who tasked our boys with creating their own ‘Happy Jars’ by drawing pictures of things that bring them happiness. Year 7 participated in a thought-provoking session with the British Red Cross, navigating life’s challenges through group discussions. Additionally, our Reception boys learned invaluable lessons about sharing worries, which Mrs Drury symbolised through heavy rocks in a rucksack. Concluding the week, Year 8 also participated in a workshop with Buckinghamshire Mind that highlighting the impact of social media on mental health. The boys discussed awareness of social media and its addictive tendencies. Together, these activities help to create a supportive environment for all our boys within The Beacon Community and at home.
To mark Mental Health Awareness Week and to support our charity of choice, Buckinghamshire Mind, we held a non-uniform day on Wednesday. We would like to thank all the families who have kindly donated to this worthy cause. We are thrilled to have raised a staggering £1.4k+ for the charity. Please click on the link below if you would like to donate.
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