After the fun of the festive season, January days can at times feel very flat. When better, then, for Cobham Hall to introduce our first whole-school Wellbeing Day?
An individual’s wellbeing is not just the absence of disease or illness; it is a complex combination of a person’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Time for relaxation, being creative, spending time in nature, connecting with others, and looking after your physical health are all considered key to wellbeing. With studies showing that a whole-school approach to promoting wellbeing can have a positive effect on academic attainment as well as other educational outcomes, there could be no better reason to give all our staff and students the chance to step back from scheduled lessons and take time to focus on themselves.
On Thursday 25th January, a wide variety of wellbeing activities were offered for students and staff to engage in throughout the day. Sessions were chosen to highlight what an individual could do to enhance their wellbeing, and many students chose to participate in activities that were new to them. From meditation to artistic workshops, yoga to salsa, there was something for everyone.
Café, Read and Board Games, Flower Arranging, Jewellery Making, Meditation, Mindfulness, Music Therapy, Photography, Printmaking, Rock Choir, Salsa, Sip and Paint, Smoothie Making, Foot Spa, Woodland, and Walk Yoga.
At the end of the day, the whole school participated in making a Gratitude Wall, sitting down to reflect on the day and share their thoughts:
“Wellbeing day is good since it gives someone the opportunity to take a break for once and relax, letting you have fun. I think it was a very good day.”
“A reminder of how important it is to take a moment of reflection and pause.”
“I am taking away the importance of meditation and being aware of your body and surroundings in order to have peace of mind.”
“I learnt that if you focus on an activity, you can get it done efficiently. I liked how most activities had a goal.”
Thank you to all of those who made the day such a success, in particular Miss N Shipton , Mrs Cracklen and Miss Merritt for organising and arranging the event beforehand, and the staff members who ran activities throughout the day. We would also like to thank the students and staff members who got involved and made the most of the opportunity.
