Stuff@SJB Autumn Edition 2020 by SJBMagazine

Dear

Everyone,

n behalf of everyone at SJB, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very warm welcome to our Christmas edition of the school magazine Stuff@SJB.

Wow what a term this has been – it’s definately been one that we’ve never experienced before and hope to never experience again! I don’t think anyone could have ever predicted how 2020 would pan out, but these are unprecidented times the whole world is battling. To be completely honest, I don’t think that our school community is doing too badly considering what some others are currently dealing with. It has definitely been a time of relearning for teachers – normally they would be in and amongst the students in lessons

to work with them – now they spend most of their time at the front of the class, trying as best they can to keep their distance. Nevertheless, they are getting there and I am glad we took the decisions we did in September to meet the Government’s guidelines in schools. It has meant, for the most part, the children have received as normal an education in school as possible. Thank you to all parents for your support and efforts in coming to terms with all of the new measures we have been required to put in place throughout this term. It has been gratefully appreciated. Sending groups of students home to isolate is the last thing we have wanted to do, but it has been necessary at times in order to stop further spread. We are praying 2021 will bring

normality back to us all, as quickly as possible, therefore reducing the need to send further groups home. At the very least, the isolation period has been reduced meaning the children will only be required to isolate for 10 days as opposed to the 14 they have had throughout this term. As you are aware we are obliged to contact trace next week, so let’s all keep everything crossed that we aren’t put in a position where we need to contact any families to say they need to self-isolate! Now for some customary news: In September, we welcomed 240 Year 7 students and 22 external students to our Sixth Form. Even though some of these children have had to periodically self-isolate, it’s still extremely heart-warming to see them integrate so well and already feel part of our school community. We also welcomed 28 new members of staff, this was across the board and included Teachers, Support Staff and Trainees. I am pleased to report that they have all settled in really well. We have some new little arrivals to our SJB family; Mr and Mrs Petri adopted two beautiful brothers named Matthew and Teddy; Miss Chambers had a gorgeous son called Freddie; Mrs Rendell gave birth to a son called Theodore; Mrs McLaughlin has had a son called Brogan. Mr Thomas had a daughter called Pia Mary Ella and Mr Evans had a daughter named Willow Mae. As is also customary, we now have a few more SJB babies on the way – more news to follow in the next edition. Sadly, we are saying goodbye to Mrs Laidlaw, one of our much-loved Learning Support Assistants. Mrs Laidlaw has been with us for almost five years, and after some wavering, has taken the decision to take a break from work to spend some quality time with her family. She has been an integral member of the Support Staff and will be sorely missed by everyone at SJB – especially the students who absolutely adore her. We wish her all the best for her future plans.

Our Year 11 students are preparing for their exams in the summer and are currently busy taking their mocks. If you have a child in Year 11 please ensure that they have properly rested over the Christmas break so that they come back feeling refreshed and ready for the last push before their final exams in the summer. The same applies to the Year 13 students whom will begin their mocks upon our return in January. To all the parents and students in Year 11 and 13; I know the summer brings a lot of uncertainty and worry. That is completely normal, however the media announcements across different parts of the UK make any forward planning very frustrating! The students have been brilliant at keeping going – even with so many unknowns. Undoubtedly, the New Year is bound to bring further announcements. Finally, term ends at 12.00 noon on Friday 18 December. I should like to thank you for the support and encouragement you continue to give us all at SJB. We look forward to seeing the students in January, well rested and raring to go unless, of course, they are self-isolating! As I write this the government have just announced a staggered start for secondary schools - without any firm guidance on this as yet I cannot tell you what that means. I will write to all parents at the start of January when I know more. We wish you all a peaceful and festive Christmas and send good wishes to you and your family for 2021. God bless

James Granville Hamshar

UND

G R R O A

Year 7 Review

ear 7 have made a spectacular start to their learning journey at SJB. I could not be more proud of our year group. We continue in our mission to be the best version of ourselves by displaying courage, honesty and kindness in our lessons and in the playground. In Maths we have been busy learning algebra; English we are finishing our novels ‘The Graveyard Book’ and ‘Wonder’ before moving onto poetry. Science has been busy too as we have been learning how to separate mixtures safely in the laboratory. There has been lots of excitement in drama too as the department continue to teach lessons about ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. It’s also a hive of activity in DT where we are making spicy rice and name plates. In PSHE the students are learning about the brain and our mastery approach to teaching which celebrates learning from our mistakes and rising to challenges. Our History department continue to inspire the students with lessons on Medieval

times, whereas we are learning about population pressures in Geography. Just to mention a few of our lessons, no wonder we are so busy and we are tired by the weekend! The staff could not be happier with the student’s continuation of their transition; we have been impressed by how far they have come since September with their navigation skills, ipad discipline, homework organisation and focus. This is always very apparent by the frequency of nomination badges we give out fortnightly. Remember we are in competition with the rest of the school each fortnight; collecting the most nominations within a category earns you your star. Every fortnight is a fresh start, so keep showing the best version of you and you’ll get their Year 7! By Miss Bates

Year 8 Review This term has been an extremely busy one for our wonderful Year 8 students. Students have had to come back to school in very different and testing circumstances but have worked their socks off from day one. Although opportunities for students to go on school trips have been drawn to a halt, students have still had lots of opportunities to try new and exciting things outside of the classroom. For example, in Music, our Year 8s have been learning all about the Gamelan and every student has also been given the opportunity to play the Gamelan as well which has been excellent. In form times, students have been looking into the importance of mental wellbeing and e-safety. It has been great to see how well all students

have reacted to talking about and dealing with very difficult issues in such a mature manner. Our Year 8 students also did amazingly well with collecting boxes for our Christmas hampers. As a result of all of the hard work of our students there are going for be a huge number of gifts sent to the Kingfield Care Home. (picture attached) Our amazing Year 8s have once again shown how they can be real ambassadors not just for our school but for the wider community as well. Overall it has been a fantastic start by everyone in Year 8 in what are very challenging circumstances. A massive well done to every single student and I hope you have a wonderful and restful Christmas break, you really deserve it. By Mr. Witts

Year 9 Review What can I say about the year 9’s this year? They stepped into a very different looking SJB this September, with lots of new rules, guidelines and boundaries in place and they have taken it all in their stride with a smile on their faces. Whilst opportunities have been limited this term, it has not stopped the Year 9’s taking on new and different challenges. In music they have been transported to South America with the study and playing of the samba, as I am sure you have all heard, as well as partaking in deep and interesting discussions in PSHE and handling these themes maturely and responsibly. The Year 9 Christmas hamper collections were something truly wonderful to behold. The generosity of the year group was immensely humbling to see, as was the sheer amount and quality of the donations. The spirit of the

collection was truly founded amongst all the forms and the spirit of Christmas generosity was wholly present in Year 9... Even if Ms. Atherton’s form did get a bit carried away with wanting to collect the most. The way that the Year 9’s have begun this year fills me with pride. It has been an outstanding effort from everyone in the year group in what are, evidently, challenging times. An important half term lies ahead for us, as it is the time of year where students will now be considering their options for GCSE study. However, before that, it is really important that the Year 9’s enjoy a really well-earned restful Christmas. A huge well done to every single one of you. Merry Christmas, and a very happy new year. By Mr. Ali

Year 10 Review What a brilliant start the Year 10s have made to their GCSE studies. After what can only be described as a strange and surreal end to their time as Year 9 students, I have been blown away by the maturity, passion and determination which I am witnessing each and every day. Feedback from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, which is testament to the students and their new found KS4 attitude. If they continue to keep this up, they are truly going to be on track for an incredible set of GCSE results. It has also been lovely and exciting to hear about the various activities taking place at home. Students have clearly been inspired by the passion projects they were working on during lockdown and it has been great to hear about new skills being developed â&#x20AC;&#x201C; from reading challenges, to learning how to cook, to looking after new and furry family additions. It just highlights how truly

creative and ambitious these students are. Finally, I would like to say a huge thank you to you all for being wonderfully supportive and guiding the students through the early, and very challenging, stages of GCSE life. It was great to see so many positive and supportive parents at Year 10 Information Evening and it really does make a huge difference to the students to have us all steering them in the right, and successful, direction. I wish each and every Year 10 student a restful, tranquil and calm Christmas break and am excited to have them back again in January, ready and raring to face all of the challenges that 2021 brings. Merry Christmas and God bless. Mrs Batterbee.

Year 11 Review Each and every Year 11 student has made a really positive start to life in Year 11. I am sure many of them are now seeing the key difference between Year 10 and Year 11 but I am hopeful they are enjoying the challenges Year 11 brings.

time to show their generosity and thoughtfulness in bringing in items to build up hampers for those more in need this Christmas with all Year 11 donations going towards the Catch 22 charity. A huge thank you for all your donations.

This term the students have been working really hard in preparation for their end of term mock exams. I have to say I have been truly impressed with the high levels of maturity, self-motivation and eagerness to do well. There have been numerous support sessions taking place in preparation for the mock exams to ensure each student is as well prepared as possible.

As we reach the Christmas holidays my message for each Year 11 and their family is simple, enjoy the rest, switch off from school and have a safe and relaxing Christmas with your families. I look forward to welcoming you all back in the new year full of hope and optimism for the year ahead.

As well as preparing for their mock exams the Year 11 students have still managed to find the

Take care, and a very Merry Christmas to each and every Year 11 and their families. By Mr Evans

Year 12 Review Our Year 12 students have made a brilliant start to Sixth Form life this term. All of the SJB staff have been blown away by how well they have made the transition onto their A-level courses, particularly after such a long time away from school, and they have quickly become an invaluable part of the Sixth Form community. In particular, a massive well done to our new students who have settled in so well. The year started with some weekly sessions run by NCS relating to student wellbeing and developing the skills needed to effectively make the step up from KS4 to KS5. All students got stuck into the sessions, and some of the skills they focussed on such as time management, have definitely helped ease the transition into Sixth Form life. The first set of Year 12 monitoring was outstanding! One of the highlights of this term was the interform dodgeball competition, won convincingly

by 12HD photographed below. This was a great opportunity for the students to get to know the other members of their form group and we look forward to inter-form Bench ball next term! A huge congratulations to our newly appointed Head Boy and Head Girl Francesco Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Andrea and Alana-Mae Cuva and Deputies Owen Parsley and Kathryn Terry who we know will show outstanding leadership over the next year, alongside the members of the Sixth Form Committee. Finally, as we look forward to next term, we have some students sitting their first external BTEC exams in January; they have all worked really hard to prepare for these and we wish them the best of luck! Year 12 are an absolute pleasure to work with every day and I wish all the students and their families a restful Christmas break. By Miss Clark

Year 13 Review The Year 13 students settled back into life at school seamlessly. They have had a really busy first term back at SJB after lockdown and the Summer break. They started with the delayed end of Year 12 exams. The students worked very hard in preparation for these and obtained some really good results. The students have also been working tirelessly on their university and apprenticeships applications. With the help of Mrs Risman, the students have made really strong applications with some students been called for interview and other receiving offers. In November, half of the year group had the chance to practice their interview skills during the first of two mock interview evenings. The students were interviewed by a group working professionals. The feedback was really positive and the students found the experience very helpful.

In addition to this, the students received the annual â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Safe Drive Stay Aliveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; afternoon. Although this was done via technology this year, it was still a really beneficial afternoon, with the students receiving such some powerful messages. The term has finished with the students showing their generosity and commitment to charity by proving presents for the charity Pound House where Young people at risk of homelessness. We look forward to another successful term when the students return from the Christmas break. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. By Mr. Vaughan

uring the October Half Term, a group of us from Woking Explorers, including Dylan Piercy and Yousuf Mahmood in Year 13, undertook our Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Expedition. We walked and camped for 4 days and 4 nights, battling through horrendous weather conditions out in Dartmoor National Park in Devon, where at times, it was difficult to see more than 6 feet in front of you! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we each had to sleep in separate tents, and so it was pivotal that we packed enough sets of dry thermals, to keep warm overnight. Throughout the week, we had a wide range of experiences, from hiking in the rain through fields of horses, cows and sheep, to cooking spam and rice (it’s nicer than it sounds!) on our stoves, with clear blue skies overhead. In my opinion, the highlight of each day was finally being able to sit down and cook your meal - and even with a dry pair of socks on! One strange part of doing an expedition in late Autumn is how it gets dark so early, and so most nights we all found ourselves wrapped up in our sleeping bags after sunset, around 6pm, simply because we were so tired, and there was nothing else to do!

The best part of being in a team of people who you really get on with is that in the plentiful times when you feel bereft of motivation, the others are there to pick you up - literally at times - and inspire you to carry on. This was the case for me on multiple occasions, and I am extremely grateful for the others in my team for their support Upon the completion of our time out on the moors, myself and Dylan enjoyed a much-needed McDonalds and sleep during the car journey home. Despite the fact that my “waterproof” boots were soaked through after the first day, and that one evening our tents were almost submerged in boggy water, the expedition was a fantastic experience, and something I am incredibly proud to have completed. Would I ever spend 4 days camping in Dartmoor at this time of year again you ask? No, probably not!

- Owen Parsley Year 12

Student

ART Showcase 11

Max Lafreniere Yr8, Haylee Uden Yr9, Rozi Kurali Yr9, Livia Kaveckova Yr10 and Alicia Manrique Yr10 all entered their own artwork produced in their spare time into a competition organised by The Lightbox,Yr8, Woking. Their work was selected anLivia online exhibitionYr10 that Max Lafreniere Haylee Uden Yr9, Rozi Kurali for Yr9, Kaveckova had originally been planned to go on display in the new build and Alicia Manrique Yr10 all entered their own artwork produced in their spare Victoria Square. Theaonline exhibition can be by viewed at: time into competition organised The Lightbox, Woking. Their work was selected for an online exhibition that had originally been planned to go on display in the new build Victoria Square.

Emmeline Stanley in Yr9 was the prize winner for the 11-13 year olds category.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Winstonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; by Livia Kaveckova Yr9

12 12

Owl by Rozi Kurali Yr9

Prize winner for 11 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 13 yr olds Futurama Corona Virus Version by Emmeline Stanley Yr9

Andrew Doherty Y9 sent his Joe Wickes iPad illustration to the man himself. He messaged Andrew back saying he was going to put his work on his instagram account

13 12

Counting by Alicia Manrique Yr10

Serenity by Haylee Uden Y9

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Reme tions to stil spoke memb lucky

gone about create (exam silenc come

to pu sense

'As we source

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emembrance something SJB takes Remembrance is issomething SJB takesvery seriously and with therest very seriously and with the restrictions tions surrounding lockd surrounding lockdown weown wantedwe wanted to ensure that students were to ensure that students were able to to still engage impo rtant day. In our whole school assemblyw still engagewith with thisthis important day. In our whole school assembly we spoke why Remembrance was important by sharing stories of f spoke about about why Remembrance was important by sharing stories of family members who had members who in wars for our future and acknowledging h fought in wars for our had futurefought and acknowledging how lucky we are by reminding ourselves that lucky we are by reminding ourselves that our existence is dependent our existence is dependent on the sacrifice of others over the last 100 years. We also discussed how our shared experiences of sacrifice during the current Covid situation can increase our empathy and understanding of the level of sacrifice undergone by these brave servicemen and women. In form times students learnt about the importance of the symbol of the poppy and were encouraged to create their own piece of Remembrance to share with our community (example attached) and show our thanks. Finally we observed the 2 minute silence at 11am on Wednesday 11th November. While we were not able to come together as a school community

like we have in previous years, knowing that our entire community was united in reflection and prayer helped us to feel connected in a way that has become increasingly difficult this year. As a community through our prayer and reflection we were able to put our faith in God during this trying time and create a much needed sense of togetherness.

gone by these brave servicemen andwomen. In form times students l about the importance of the symbol of the pop py and were encourag create their own piece of Remembrance to share with ourcommunity Miss Clay (example attached) and show ourBythank s. Finally we observed the 2 m silence at 11am onWednesday 11th November. While we were not ab come together as a schoolcommunity like we have in previous years,

to put our faith inGod during this trying time and create a much nee sense oftogetherness.

'As we honour the past, may we put our faith inyour future; for you ar source of life and hope' Writen by Miss C. Clay

Christmas Hampers

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his year more than ever, giving to those in need has been necessary in helping each other keep going during these harsh times. That’s why this year with our yearly Christmas collections, we, as a school community, decided to go that extra mile for those who have been hit hard this year - whether that be the elderly separated from their families or those who have lost their jobs. Here at SJB, this giving initiative has always been important to us, as Gospel values point us to giving to help others being more valuable than to just receive, and living out generosity, love and service as members of this faith community. “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Our Year 7s this year were tasked with providing gifts to children less fortunate than themselves. They would be spending

the Christmas period in hospital, so plenty of toys, books, games activities and more were selflessly given to those in need by the students. The Year 8s were tasked with providing gifts to the elderly in dementia care, so more comfortable gifts were suggested. This year being especially hard on the elderly, with lack of visitation from family and those who they hold dear, the gifts I’m sure will be much appreciated by the residents. The Year 9s and 10s were tasked with supplying packaged and non perishable goods for families in need. With people unable to get food themselves or having to rely on food banks, these hampers will be greatly appreciated by those receiving them. The Year 11s this year were working alongside Catch 22: a project dedicated to helping vulnerable young people. They selflessly provided gifts for the young people in need, taking great care in deciding the gifts that would go in as it was likely the only gifts they would receive this year. Finally, our Year 12s and 13s were working with Pound House to provided gifts to young people at risk of homelessness, often from the care system. Useful, delicious and necessary gifts were provided to them by the young adults here at SJB. Though this year has undeniably been hard for everyone, we as a school community vow to never give up when it comes to fulfilling these core religious values of giving and service, which is why we are dedicated to providing these hampers every year, rain or shine. The result was a bumper collection to beat all previous years so a huge thank you to everyone who donated! By Oliver Hardwick, Year 11

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Carrers Newsletter University Applications It was a challenging start for all of our Year 13 students, having had to tackle the early stages of university applications remotely during the summer months of lockdown. There had been no change to the university application deadlines so, given the challenging start, there has been additional pressure on all of them to complete their applications on time, especially those applying for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary courses and those applying to Oxford and Cambridge Universities, all of which have an early application deadline of 15 October. We have been immensely proud of their successes even this early in the application cycle, with many students already receiving offers from highly competitive universities, including Bristol, Durham, UCL, Exeter and Warwick, to name but a few.

Y13 Zoom Mock Interviews A record number of 11 students have received invitations to interview at Oxford and Cambridge Universities, a fantastic accomplishment in itself. These interviews are all being held remotely this year and, to prepare all our Y13 students for such interviews we held the first of our two Mock Interview Evenings in November. This involved 45 panel members forming 15 interview panels, to interview half of our year group, with the added challenge of working within the restrictions that Covid-19 has imposed. It was the first time that this event was held virtually, via zoom, with our students having to navigate the challenge of technology in addition to the usual interview

nerves, all operating remotely in their own homes. The feedback we received from panel members was overwhelmingly positive, with every student giving a fantastic account of themselves. The students themselves reported on just how nerve-wracking but valuable they had found the experience, and that they now felt so much more confident about facing their real interviews Virtual experiences have clearly been the way forward for a range of other career-related opportunities that our students have been engaging with. Upcoming virtual events to find out more about University and Apprenticeships UK University & Apprenticeship Search Virtual Fair (27th January), featuring a vast array of exhibitors and 10 vital webinars. Students, teachers and parents can find out more and sign up here. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Meet the Russell Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; virtual event. on February 10th will feature all 24 universities and essential webinars for students considering applications to these institutions. Students, teachers and parents can find out more and sign up here.

Insight into Marketing 6th Form students with an interest in Marketing had the opportunity via Zoom, to listen to and ask questions of one of our SJB Parents, Corinne Doherty, who kindly shared her many years experience working in Marketing. Insight into the PwC Flying Start Accountancy Degree programme Year 13 students who have applied for this programme received advice and insight via Zoom

from a former SJB student Molly Thomas who is currently on this programme at the University of Nottingham. Molly provided top tips on how to succeed in the selection process for this prestigious undergraduate course which provides guaranteed paid internships and mentoring with PwC.

Unifrog We have now launched our new careers platform Unifrog with almost all of our year groups and it will be used over the coming months, during form times and PSHE. Almost all students now have individual logins (Year 7s will follow on later in the year) and this platform will enable them to explore a range of career pathways, but also to gather information and understanding on the options available at each transition point, from Year 9, Year 11 and Sixth Form. They will be able to undertake personality tests, skills test and careers quizzes, all aimed at learning more about themselves and the type of future employment which will best suit them. Unifrog is also an amazing resource for advice, information and guidance on higher education, with information on degrees, tools to identify a best-match degree based on skills and interest and even a bank of super-curricular resources to help students get ahead and stand out from the crowd amidst a competitive field. With apprenticeships now growing in popularity and availability there is also a wealth of information to support students through these very different applications. There is even the opportunity for parents to sign up and receive their own logins. The form code you need is: parentsjohnbaptist and you can sign up here: www.unifrog.org/code

Labour market information Job vacancies within a particular industry/sector vary both geographically and from one year to the next. A really useful tool for exploring local labour market information can be accessed via this website: https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/

Get in touch or Get involved! • Careers Enquiries If you have any questions at all regarding careers or if you are able to get involved at all as detailed below please do get in touch with our Head of Careers, Mrs Risman: n.risman@sjb.surrey.sch.uk • Careers Events at SJB if you would like to get involved in future career events at SJB, from sitting on a panel at a Sixth Form Mock Interview event, to talking about your job to students either at our Y9 careers game: ‘What’s my Line?’ or at our Y10 Careers morning: ‘A Day in the Life of…’ please get in touch with Mrs Risman. We try to cover a broad range of jobs within these events, but Art/Design, Psychology and Science related careers have been historically very difficult to find. • Work Experience Every year our Y11 and Y12 students undertake a week’s work experience placement. This is a fantastic opportunity to experience the world of work firsthand, to gain insight into a possible future pathway and, most importantly, to develop valuable transferable skills that can be brought to their future applications for universities and apprenticeships. Our students in both year groups are currently investigating possible companies to approach. It can be a very tricky task, with many companies choosing only to offer placements to students who are connected to existing staff. This is extremely challenging for those students whose network of possible contacts is very limited. This year the challenge is of course even greater given the complex regulations around Covid safety. To this end, if the company you work for is willing to offer work experience placements to SJB students please please do get in touch. Our students would be incredibly grateful. The dates for work experience for this academic year are as follows: Year 12: Monday 24 May – Friday 28 May, 2021 Year 11: tbc, depending on final confirmed exam dates

S I T UL

tudents choosing the Multi Skills sports option have really enjoyed playing a whole range of team games, having great fun while improving their communication, decision making and fitness. Some of the activities they been taking part in are: indoor football, lacrosse, dodgeball, bench ball, and capture the flag.

During the football sessions the boys have been able to get out in fresh air while lockdown has been on and have the opportunity to let off some steam. The boys have worked well

M Y

S T R O P S

in teams, developing their CV fitness and enjoying the beautiful game while laughing at their mate missing an open goal! The netball and basketball academies have been running with our coaches from the Cardinals and Scorchers putting the students through their paces, developing their skills and tactics. In the gym students have been working their core, pushing themselves to new goals on the cardio and pumping some big iron. By PE Department

HEAD BOY FRANCESCO D’ANDREA

HEAD GIRL ALANA -MAE CUVA After having been given this wonderful opportunity I am motivated and ready to fulfil the role of Head Boy. Through this role I hope I can work with my colleagues to be a point of reference for my peers in the Sixth Form and those in the lower school. In addition, I would like to play my part in driving forward the school community in Charity, E-learning, Chaplaincy, and the environment. As a result, I hope we can leave a legacy with the work and changes we make for the school that has done so much for us

I feel honoured to have been chosen as head girl this year. I’m an outgoing people- person and I hope to be a friendly and familiar face for everyone throughout the school. I would love the opportunity to give back to a school community which has offered me so much since year seven. I look forward to helping oversee mental health and well-being within the school and can’t wait to make a difference through this.

DEPUTY HEAD GIRL KATHRYN TERRY DEPUTY HEAD BOY OWEN PARSLEY After being at SJB for five years, I’m so excited and grateful to have been elected as deputy head girl. I am keen to make a difference, help others communicate their ideas, and give back to the community after all it has done for me in the time I have been here. Working with my team and other students, I hope to make a positive impact with a positive attitude.

I am extremely proud to be able to represent the school as Deputy Head Boy. I am very passionate about having the opportunity to reflect back the support that I have received throughout all aspects of life at SJB, which will hopefully be both challenging and rewarding in equal measure. I look forward to the year ahead, and believe that both personally and as a sixth form committee, we will be able to impact the school in a way of

MENTAL HEALTH AND

WELLBEING “Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It’s the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with” “Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going”

Eating healthily and having a balanced diet is an important step on focusing on ‘you’. Starting from small changes in your diet and finding what foods make you feel happy will make an impact on your well-being, as well as being more aware on what you have and what you want to avoid.

Getting adequate sleep and sticking to a fixed routine at the end of the day will greatly make a difference on your mental health in a positive way. Many people do struggle to get enough sleep due to anything they may have encountered throughout the day, which is why it’s important to gradually get in the habit of healthier sleep.

Reaching out to others and reconnecting with the people who care about you is another way in uplifting your well-being. It can be as small as checking in on them by sending a message and making sure that they are doing okay as well. Because at the end of the day we feel happier when surrounded by others who support us.

Putting things together piece by piece in looking after your overall well-being should be done at your own pace. Since there are many different ways in looking after yourself, take your time to explore until you have found what truly works for you as well as what doesn’t. The advice given above can be your starting point, but it’s all in the process and there is room for you to consider other ways too.

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