Fairlight Primary & Nursery School

Every individual child achieves

s

Healthy Body, Healthy Mind Week

 

  

Fairlight Healthy Body Healthy Mind Week

 
What did we do?
 
We contacted several people (including parents and people in the local community) to come in and offer a huge variety of workshops. We tried (wherever possible) to get many activities for free. E.g. Table Tennis Tim provided some free sessions and from this, he was able to promote and set up an afterschool club etc. We then timetabled the whole school in for the following workshops:
 
  • Hula hooping
  • Badmington 
  • Amazonia Arts 
  • Azonto Afro Beats
  • Table Tennis tricks
  • Active 8
  • Ultimate Frisbee
  •  Zumba dancing
  • Circuit training
  • Brighton Albion fitness/games sessions
  • Bike it Ben sessions

     

    We also wanted to involve the Parents/Carers in the week so we did the following:

     
  • ‘Wake and Shake' in the playground every morning before school (8.35am) for the week. Together with the kids, Teachers/TA’s and all school staff, encouraged the parents to take part in our Zumba sessions (run by a parent and a member of staff). We invited them to bust out some moves to fun upbeat music in the bid to wake up out bodies and brains. Prior to the week a Year 5 class and classteacher had contacted several companies explaining what we were doing and we asked for donations of prizes to be used as incentives throughout the week. These included, massage/pamper sessions/meals out/gym membership/water bottles/swimming passes/tickets for events etc. We then used these prizes to encourage parents and adults to join in with the zumba and in doing so, set an example for their children. Each morning, we then got children going round the playground, writing down the names of the parents/carers  joining in. The idea being, the more times they joined in, the more they got written down, the more chance of winning some prizes! We had a sound system and so would do parent 'shout outs' and then on Friday, we announced the winners of the parent/carer prizes. This was hugely successful, I would stress that EVERYONE, from dinner ladies to office staff, caretaker were outside and joining in.

     
  • 'Active You' - a fitness class especially for parents/carers which they could attend for free that week. We offered them the opportunity to either attend on their own, with their children (who would come out of part of the lesson to join in) and/or with any other children (non walking babies) so that childcare was not an issue. We got the Year 5/6 children out in the playground with clipboards to sign up parents which again, was hugely successful. The kids were great at applying the pressure! We were keen to point out that you did not have to be super fit to attend but you were expected to bring energy and enthusiasm in some way, shape or form! This was advertised in our school newsletter, school website and Facebook to drum up support and awareness.

     
  • Afterschool, we arranged events to go on in the playground for the children/parents to get involved in. These were purposely scheduled at school pick up time. These included:
  • Our samba band playing
  • Our 'Just Dance' club performing
  • A sun safety stall supported by the LA Sun Safety Team
  • Afrobeats (which parents joined in with)

     

    Throughout the week, we did some whole school events. These included the following:
  • Fancy Dress on the Monday and Friday– We all dressed up in sports gear – football kits, jogging bottoms and t-shirts etc. The teachers and ALL support staff also dressed up too, although mainly in funky 1980’s style!
  • ‘Walk to school week’ - All pupils were encouraged to walk or scooter to school wherever possible.
  • Bling your shoes and/or scooter  – Prizes given for the most blinged up (promoting scootering/walking to school). 
  • Staff v’s children – step challenge!  - Who can reach the most steps on their pedometers? Prizes given to the classes.
  • Class v’s class skipping competition – Two simple competitions for each class to show off and display skipping skills. The first, ‘Double Dutch’ skipping. The second, ‘Best skipping school- related rhyme.’
  • Design a Fairlight mascot to promote a healthy mind and body competition –  prizes were given for the best entries and winners’ mascots got to go on display.

     

     

    We sold the week to the parents/carer by detailing what we were doing in classes throughout the week. E.g.

     

    How we feel about ourselves and others influences everything we do and it has a huge impact on learning and success in life. Our curriculum at Fairlight recognises this and so throughout the week, our learning in class will cover the following areas:
  • Emotional wellbeing and mental health.
  • Health Promotion and Nutrition (including packed lunches).
  • Child safety (including sun safety, road safety, internet/phone safety, safe and unsafe touch).
  • Behaviour, confidence and self esteem.

     

    We then did things like fruit tasting (but using the chef hats that Pizza Express had provided us for free!) to bring the experiences to life. We had smoothie making going on in the classes with Bike it Ben etc and several other things. At the end of the week, every child was sent a mindfulness pack that we put together as a school.

     

    For staff, we decorated the staff room and each morning laid out some 'healthy treats.' We all put our names in a hat and became Guardian Angels. We all had to perform random acts of kindness for the person we had picked out in secret. It was so much fun and great for staff morale. Things that I saw were people making one another cups of tea, leaving lovely messages, leaving a small gift on their desk - eg, some flowers or a croissant for breakfast etc. Someone even got a mini bottle of gin in their pigeon hole!

     

    For staff, we also offered health and wellbeing checks.

     

     

    What we achieved?

     

    We achieved lots throughout the week by providing our children with a range of exciting opportunities to enable them to learn about their own physical/mental health and wellbeing.

     

    We wanted to prioritise and value the importance of this, so that we could ensure that our children at Fairlight develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to make healthy lifestyle choices that they need now and in the future.

     

    As teachers, we felt that we have a shared responsibly with the Parents/Carers, to help our children foster good physical/mental health and wellbeing.