Talking Together - Head's Blog

This week I have worked with both pupils and parents on issues regarding the use of social media platforms. 

We are all members of a digital society and for those of us who are slightly older we have had to embrace this new arena and re-educate and up-skill ourselves (my final dissertation at university was typed up by a paid typist - computers were not a part of our world!)  

By contrast, children nowadays know no different - technology is their world and it is rapidly changing.  

This blog is not about how we use technology but more about the interpersonal relationships about which we MUST not forget. This week I met with some parents who wanted to dispel some myths or rumours which had been circulating in a parents' group on their social media platform WhatsApp. Through our face to face meeting, I was able to give them some clarity and answers to their queries. I was somewhat concerned about how much worry adults and children alike can allow themselves to suffer through dependency on online interactions and second guessing truths.

This week in my Year 6 mindfulness lesson we discussed how to deal with worries and addressed how our minds can ruminate, catastrophise or overthink things and how worries can snowball and end up causing unnecessary stress and anxiety.

I urge us all as a community to be kinder to ourselves and to each other -  let us remember what being human is all about - it is those interpersonal relationships and ability to communicate with each other which makes us quite superior to other living creatures. 

We are a unique community here at St. Helen's College and, as a staff body, we are passionate about what we offer and how we work together to keep inspiring a lifelong love of learning in your children. Do keep speaking with us - communicate regularly, because ultimately we all put the children at the centre of every decision we make together! 

Tomorrow I have my next set of meetings with Year 5 parents as we discuss their next steps; this is one more example of school and family working together - talking together - to get the best for the children!

Have a lovely weekend.

Mrs. Drummond