WeeklyNews MowdenHallSchool
Week Beginning: 6th January 2025
Embracing Resilience: Bouncing Back to Thrive
WelcomebacktoMowden,orNarnia,aswearegrippedbythefreezingconditions.
Withthesnowhavingsetinlastweekend,thechildren(andstaff)havedonewelltomaintainour ethosofbeingoutsideinallweathers.Itislovelytoseethatchildrenhavenotonlysettledbackinto theroutineofschoollife,butarealsomakingthemostoftheirsurroundingsateveryopportunity.
OnWednesdaymorningintheHead’sAssembly,Iintroducedourcharactervaluefortheterm, ‘Resilience’ “Bounceback-ability”issomethingthatIamacutelyawareof,inaculturewhere expectationsarehighandfearoffailureiscommonplace.WhatIwantforourchildrenisforthemto feelthatfailureisnotanendresult,merelyahurdleontheirwaytosuccess.Withoutchallenging themselves,childrenwillneverworkoutquitewhattheycanachieveandwhattheirtruepotentialis. Myhopeisthatthroughexploringthisconceptof‘Resilience’,childrenwillunderstandthatitis normaltofailoccasionally,whatmattersishowwerespondtoit-howwebounceback.Toquote MartinLurtherKing,
“The ultimate measure of a man (or woman) is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand at times of challenge and controversy”.
Ihopethatourchildrendosomethingthistermthattheyfindchallengingandperhapsfailat.Iwant themtoexperiencefailureandputintopracticetheartofbouncingback,learningthatpersonal growthiswhatmatters TheyhaveallbeenchallengedbymeandIamlookingforwardtohearing whattheirfocuswillbe Iwouldbeverygratefulforyoursupportandhopefullyeverychildat Mowdenwillbeabletodemonstratewhattheyhaveachievedinpursuitofboostingtheirresilience.
Theschoolfulloflifeagain,termiscertainlyoffwithabang!Ilookforwardtothecomingweeksthereisalottopackin,butIamhopingthatmyownpersonalresilienceisnottestedtoofrequently! WelookforwardtoourannualSpringFlingonFriday17thJanuaryforYears3-8.5.00pm-7.00pm. Youcanfindmoreinformationonthiseventwithinthenewsletternotices.
Mr. Phil Sturt Head
Building Resilience: A Strong Start to the New Year
Ithasbeenajoytoseethechildrenreturntoschoolaftertheholidays,fullofenergyandexcitement forthenewterm.Watchingthemplayandexploreinthesnowhasbeenwonderfulastheybuild, create,andworktogether,showinggreatteamworkandimagination.
EachtermatMowden,weexploretwocharactervalues,lastterm,weconcentratedonkindnessand honesty Thisterm,wearefocusingonresilienceandindependentthinkingascharactervalues PleasetaketimeonaFridaytolookatourdisplayswhereweshowcase‘shoutouts’toallthosewho havebeenexcellentexamplesofeachvalue.
Wehaveexplainedtothechildrenthatresiliencemeansbeingbraveandstrong,evenwhenthings feeltrickyornew.Wewanteverychildtoknowthatmakingmistakesispartoflearningand growing.Whenwekeeptrying,weshowcourageanddiscovernewskillsweneverthoughtwecould achieve.InassemblythisweekwesharedthelifestoryofMalalaYousafzai,whoshowedincredible strengthanddeterminationwhenstandingupfortherighttoeducation.Overtheterm,wewillbe sharingstoriesaboutinspiringpeoplelikeher.Intheplayground,wewillbeencouragingchildrento solveproblemstogetherandsupporteachotherwhenthingsfeeltough.Parentscanhelpby celebratingeffortathome,notjustsuccess.Wewillalsobetalkingabouthowkindwordscanhelpus staystrongandkeepgoing
Recentresearchhighlightstheimportanceofresilienceinyoungchildrenfortheirwellbeingand success.Resiliencehelpschildrenmanagestress,buildpositiverelationships,andfacechallenges withconfidence.Studiesshowthatyoungpeoplewithstrongresiliencearebetterequippedto handledailystressorsandunexpectedsituations.Earlydevelopmentofresiliencecansignificantly impactlong-termsuccessandemotionalhealth.Childrenwithsupportiverelationshipsandpositive copingskillstendtobemoreresilientwhenfacingdifficulties.
AtMowden,wefocusonbuildingresiliencethroughencouragement,problem-solving,and supportive learningexperiences.Weaimtohelpchildrenfeelconfidentinovercomingchallenges whiledevelopingemotionalstrength.Youcansupportthisbyfosteringopencommunication, providingencouragement,andallowingmanageablechallengesathome.Together,wecanempower ourchildrentogrowintoadaptable,positiveindividuals
Welookforwardtocontinuingtosupportandinspireyourchildrentogrowandsucceedacrossall areasofthecurriculum.
Wishingyouallaveryhappy2025!
Mrs. Kirsten Knight Head of Pre-Prep
Boarding
IthasbeendelightfulwelcomingtheboardersbackfromtheirChristmasholidays.I’vebeenamazedby alltheweirdandwonderfulpresentstheyhaveallreceivedfromSanta,anditisarelieftoknowthey haveallbeenontheGoodList!
Manythankstothoseparentswhojoinedusforacatchupanddrinksthefirsteveningback.We thoughtitwasalovelyopportunitytoseeyouallandspendsometimetogetherwhilethechildren settledbackin Asalways,pleasedonothesitatetogetintouchifyouhaveanythoughts,comments,or feedbackforusaboutyourchild’sboarding.
Miss. Leonie Serbrock Head of Boarding
