Education

Reception ready – starting school with a smile

Starting school is a very exciting time! New adventures, new friends and connecting with fabulous teaching staff who will be important role models in your child’s life. Everyone involved in the transition from pre-school to Reception will undoubtedly want to ensure that the start of school is a fun time and school staff will be on hand to help with any nerves which may arise from both parents and children alike.

Sheina Wright, Head of Prep at Embley, provides some top tips to help you and your child start school with a smile:

Help to develop independence As parents we want to help our children as much as possible, but we sometimes forget that there are things that they can be doing for themselves: they are often more capable than we realise. Support your child before school starts by helping them do some things independently: getting dressed, packing their book bag, putting on their shoes, blowing their nose, going to the loo. It all takes time at first but with practise it is amazing what they can achieve!

Get to know staff Nothing quite beats meeting the people you are going to be taught by, seeing your child’s classroom and exploring their new surroundings ahead of the start of school. Try and do this in the summer term before your child starts school so they get to know their teacher, teaching assistant and classmates, and so parents get to know the staff.

It’s ok to have a little cry Much as it is an exciting time, it is a real milestone and can be (and often is) more challenging for grown-ups than it is for children. Try to be brave at drop off time, but after that it is perfectly normal to feel emotional about this next step for you as a parent. It is a big deal and school staff will understand that. Do also try and be positive about school when chatting to your child – they take their cues from you and it is important to model that positivity.

No question is a silly question It can feel like information overload when your child first starts school. Uniform, books, planners, snacks, PE...There are so many new things to think about and that’s before you throw work and organisation of siblings into the mix! If you are unsure just ask your new school who I am sure will be pleased to answer any questions or queries.

For further information, please visit www.embley.org.uk or email admissions@embley.org.uk

Health and Wellness are important at all stages of life

As a School, Godolphin recognises that good mental health and wellness is significant at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. We realise it is our responsibility to provide up to date, thought-provoking and informative sessions for parents and pupils alike. Talking Mental Health and Wellness seeks to do exactly this. Every member of our community exists on the continuum of mental health which affects our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing and therefore how we think, act, and feel, how we relate to others, react to stress, and make choices. Our aim is to promote positive mental health which allows our community to realise their full potential and make meaningful contributions, as well as equip our students with the resilience, positive emotions and practices they can use beyond their school years.

On Friday 5 November 2021, Godolphin will host the Third annual Mental Health and Wellness Conference. This year, we focus on mental health and wellness as we return to school and how as parents, we can best support our young people after 18 months of uncertainty.

Keynote speakers include Dr Nick Baylis and Natasha Devon MBE. Both are inspirational speakers, and I am sure will offer some no-nonsense much needed guidance for us all. As with last year’s conference, the knowledge and expertise of our speakers is both diverse and relevant. Other speakers include Alicia Drummond from Teen Tips who will give us practical strategies to help our children fulfil their potential, Dr Nihara Krause, a specialist in eating disorders and Fiona Spargo-Mabbs whose personal experience has shaped the charity which she set up. We will also be hearing from Tasha Lawton, who has developed her own comprehensive series of curriculumaligned resources, covering alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, genderbased violence, periods, sex, sexuality and suicide and self-harm. John Perry has spoken to pupils and staff and returns to share his wisdom on imposter syndrome and Jo Reeves from Barefoot Coaching, will be addressing the emotional needs of children. We also look forward to hearing what Dr Emma Ross has to say on how to use sport and exercise as a vehicle to reframe attitudes towards the female body.