Dear Parent/Carer
Health and Wellbeing Day
You might be aware that this week, February 1st to 7th is Children’s Mental Health Week. During this recent lockdown period, it is even more evident to us all that children and young people’s mental health has never been more important. We are more than aware of the issues that lockdown, home-schooling and working from home are presenting to the whole of our school community. The health and wellbeing of our pupils is of utmost importance and this is why, as a school, we will be supporting this important week.
We have decided that in line with Children’s Mental Health Week we will make the afternoon of Friday 5th February 2021 a Health & Wellbeing afternoon at Radyr Comprehensive School. This afternoon will be dedicated to activities to promote mental health and wellbeing. There will be no timetabled lessons, no work set and no live lessons. The expectation is for pupils to actively focus on activities to promote their own wellbeing, and promote an understanding that learning should be about the whole person. We will be suggesting a range of activities that your child can choose from, with the expectation that pupils choose a minimum of two.
No electronic devices (such as X-boxes, Playstations or mobile phones) should be used and at least one activity should be a physical activity. All of the activities have huge benefits for pupils’ physical, social, mental health and wellbeing and we hope will give everyone a much needed constructive break from timetabled lessons. Please only select activities that can be completed safely within your home or locality. Please remember the Government guidance for lockdown restrictions. Exercise from home, with members of your household and stay safe.
Activities and instructions will be emailed to pupils by Thursday. This will allow pupils and families time to prepare if necessary. If pupils want to share photos or videos of themselves enjoying the activities then they can, this is not a requirement, but we would love to see them.
Please tag @radyrcs or @RCSWellbeing and #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek on social media or ask the pupils to send photos to Mrs Chloe Powell at cc.powell@radyr.net.
We hope that Friday afternoon will be an opportunity to get our pupils away from a screen, enhance their own health and wellbeing and to help children (and adults) to explore the different ways that they can share their thoughts, feelings and ideas.
There are lots of resources on www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk that you can use with your child at home. We hope you all have a happy and constructive afternoon, with fingers crossed for fine weather!
Kindest regards
Mr A D Williams
Headteacher