Mindfulness in schools
In todays world its more important than ever to teach people of all ages the skills for positive mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Mindfulness provides practical tools for resilience and emotional agility to navigate the unpredictable waves children and young people are currently facing. Depression and anxiety are on the increase in our younger generations and it’s critical that we begin to address mental health and wellbeing in a meaningful way, as well as growing positive pathways in the brain to promote happiness and contentment.
My mission is to see mindfulness embedded into our education system as a life skill, just as learning to swim or riding a bike are woven into childhood, so too should life surfing tools for wellbeing.
I have trained with Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), the most established provider of mindfulness training in schools in the UK, delivering world-leading curricula for over a decade. In addition I spent a year training with Oxford Mindfulness Centre to trauma-sensitive teach MBCT (mindfulness base cognitive therapy) to populations of all ages. Offering a variety of courses, encompassing the whole community from 7-18yr olds, to the school management, staff, parents and beyond.
Mindfulness for teachers and parents
6-week or 8-week courses for school staff and parents - online
The benefits of mindfulness in the adult world are well-researched and the positive impact it can have on teachers, counsellors and carers is central to the vision of embedding meaningful wellbeing into the school community and supporting our children and young people.
Whilst there is often little we can do to change the tsunami of stress we are dealing with, we do have the power to change our relationship to what’s happening and learn some life surfing skills to ride the waves.
What this can offer you
Reduce your stress, tension and anxiety
A sense of spaciousness, rest and clarity
Stronger immune system
Increased ability to calmly respond and problem-solve
Increased patience and self-care
Better communication with students and colleagues
Increased creativity and imagination
Awoken awareness, happiness and connection
Are you ready to dive in?
Are you a parent, carer or family member interested in learning mindfulness?
Are you a teacher or school staff interested in learning mindfulness?
Mindfulness - for children and young people
Paws b - Pause & just be
8 week classroom-based mindfulness course for children aged 7-11 yrs
Paws b helps to start sowing seeds of life surfing skills, providing young children with an understanding of what self-care and wellbeing means and tools to start developing this skill for themselves. During the course we liken the mind to an untrained puppy, hence the Paws, and how just like a puppy we need to treat ourselves with kindness, compassion and patience. The content is a perfect mix of science, learning about different parts of the brain and how we develop pathways of thought and behaviour for our own benefit, open discussion, fun videos and practical tools of mindfulness application.
The ultimate PSHE lesson, where we learn:
Ways to relax and settle the mind
What happens when we have wobbles
Finding ways to steady ourselves
How to concentrate and pay attention
How to make wise choices
Dealing with difficulty
Choosing the path of growing happiness
.Breathe - Stop & breathe
8-week classroom-based mindfulness course children aged 9-14 yrs
.Breathe was developed primarily for children in the transition years between primary and secondary education. As with the other longer courses, .Breathe offers a combination of simple practical tools, theory, neuroscience and social emotional development, ideally delivered towards the end or the beginning of the academic year, these practices can be particularly helpful to support children at a bumpy time of turning tides.
The ultimate PSHE lesson, where we support children with:
Transitions between key stages in school
Coping with stress from SATs, Grammar test or other entrance exams
Physical and hormonal changes
Development with social dynamics, social media and emotional changes
.b - Stop & just be
10-week classroom-based mindfulness course for young people aged 11-18 yrs
.B begins teaching practical life surfing skills helping young people to navigate their way through the many challenges and choppy waters of adolescence. During the course we explore how to treat ourselves with kindness, compassion and patience. Dot B is a stand alone course, but also an ideal follow on from Paws B taught in the lower years, allowing students to deepen their understanding and continue to apply the tools in a more age appropriate way. Students learn about developing positive pathways in the brain through regular practice, open discussion, reflection time, fun videos and practical application.
The ultimate PSHE lesson, where we develop:
Ways to cope with stress, relationships, bullying, food, exams
How to cultivate curiosity and kindness
Ways to concentrate and focus attention
How to balance and regulate moods
Bringing calmness and clarity to make wiser choices
Ways to increase creativity and imagination
Tools for self-care and self-worth
What children & young people are saying
“It really helped me - as I worry quite a lot and now I know how to make myself feel calmer”
— Max 16yrs
“The classes helped me know it’s okay to be me”
— Rosie 8yrs
“It was really relaxing and made me realise how fast I was breathing”
— Annabel 13yrs
“I like doing it - because when I feel sad or angry it always really helps”
— Will 9yrs
The Evidence
There’s growing evidence to support mindfulness training due to world renowned centres at Oxford and Bangor Universities. According to the World Health Organisation depression is the leading cause of disability around the world. Studies have shown that mindfulness provides an effective alternative to antidepressants, but research has now shifted to mindfulness being the primary prevention of mental health issues. Mindfulness has been recommended by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence since 2004.