This week started with a session for our Upper Sixth students, delving into the topic of unconscious bias. Our brains tend to take shortcuts to make quick judgments, but this can often lead to mistakes. For instance, the ‘spotlight bias’ can cause us to overestimate how much attention others pay to our appearance or behaviour in social situations, leading to unnecessary anxiety.

Meanwhile, our Sixth Form lessons focused on A Level mindset concepts, with students reviewing their revision techniques and learning that academic success is as much about how you work as how long you work. The Third Form engaged in a research project, choosing to explore fear of failure, perfectionism, goal setting, and resilience.

Moving on, our upcoming Tutor provision will centre on online safety and social media guidance, as we have noticed the trend of ‘vent accounts.’ These accounts allow users to express their thoughts and emotions anonymously or under a pseudonym. The idea behind these accounts is to provide a space where people can “vent” their frustrations or share their innermost thoughts and feelings without fear of judgement or consequences. Vent accounts typically feature posts that are written in a candid and unfiltered style, often with a focus on personal issues or problems. Users might share their thoughts on anything from relationship troubles to mental health struggles.

Some accounts are public, meaning that anyone can view the posts, while others are private, requiring users to follow or request access. As part of our PHSE provision, we will be highlighting the potential risks such as exposure to hurtful or abusive comments. The website ‘Common Sense Media’ offers some helpful tips for parents on how to help their children stay safe online in addition to the ‘Teen Tips Hub’ that all parents have access to as part of the School’s subscription.

Lastly, we want to express our gratitude to all the parents who contributed to our Wellbeing Week by baking, helping with baking, or donating money for cakes. We received a heartfelt letter of thanks from Dandelion Time, who were incredibly grateful for the donation.