We are committed as a school to mindfulness. We run courses and groups for both adults and children as well as working it into the school week.
“I am proud of my mindfulness sessions because
I think carefully about my breathing and it helps me.” (Reception Student)
Mindfulness involves learning to direct our attention to our experience as it is unfolding, moment by moment, with open-minded curiosity and acceptance. Rather than worrying about what has happened or might happen, mindfulness trains us to respond skilfully to whatever is happening right now, be that good or bad. This includes paying close attention to inner states such as thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, as well as to what is happening in the outside world.
The Paws b Mindfulness in Schools Project has been shown to reduce anxiety, distress, reactivity and bad behaviour; to improve sleep and self-esteem, and bring about greater calmness and self-awareness. Mindfulness has also been shown to be capable of contributing directly to the development of cognitive and performance skills in the young. It would appear that when children and young people learn to be more present, they can pay attention better and improve the quality of their performance in the classroom, on the sports field, and in the performing arts, for example. They can become more focused, more able to approach situations from a novel perspective, more able to draw more effectively on previously-learned material, have less anxiety and greater ability to pay attention.
“I enjoy doing Mindfulness because it helps you to know what you are meant to be doing and to know what your standard is. I liked mindful eating. Although I found it a bit cruel (having to look at my food for so long before eating it) it was a good practice to focus on one thing and training your mind.”