For most, schools are at the centre of a child’s life—not just for education but for providing a supportive model to nurture wellbeing. Children spend a minimum of 30 hours of their week at school and are therefore greatly influenced by the culture in which they work and play.
However, in my experience, schools provide varying degrees of wellbeing that can positively influence their students; some provide it as a checkbox task, while others go above and beyond, making this the heart of their school culture that drives policy and practice. Whatever your school’s location, there is always new content and services available to keep your school’s offerings fresh and motivating for your students.
Public Health England and the DfE have identified areas in supporting and promoting mental health and wellbeing which includes: “Prevention: creating a safe and calm environment where mental health problems are less likely, improving the mental health and wellbeing of the whole school population, and equipping pupils and students to be resilient so that they can manage the normal stress of life effectively.” (1)
At Happy Mojos, we are incredibly passionate about mental health and wellbeing. In schools, we offer something very different from classroom-style learning—something that embraces all needs and abilities and has a fresh and fun approach to delivering experiences for being well. Stretch & Shine is an offering that brings together evidence-based, traditional, and complementary approaches in order for our next generation to be able to cope with life’s ups and downs. We want children to feel empowered to move positively throughout their daily lives, nurturing resilient thinkers. We want children to build strong, positive relationships where they feel valued. We also want them to develop an understanding of themselves, a strong sense of self-worth, and healthy boundaries. By promoting the importance of wellbeing, we are helping to forge helpful strategies and behaviours to support mental health as they grow.
“Life can be really stressful at the moment because we have so much going on, but when we do Stretch & Shine, it’s like it all goes away.” Year 6 pupil
“Stretch & Shine is very much a preventative tool to support positive wellbeing, building firm foundations at a young age so that mental hygiene becomes a normal part of everyday life.” Min Robertson, Founder of Happy Mojos.
Our programmes will enrich your whole-school wellbeing strategy and are designed and planned to suit both your school community and its wellbeing needs. Everything we provide serves a purpose and is related to Statutory Guidance, Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing (2), Relationships Education (3), and the EYFS (4).
Our enjoyable programmes are movement-based and will keep students engaged from start to finish. Each session focuses on six key areas: move, play, breathe, sense, empower, and chill, with the goal of meeting social, emotional, and mental health needs while also encouraging a connection with physical health. We focus on self-discovery and care, emotional literacy, and building positive relationships while nurturing self-esteem and resilience. The sessions take a very practical approach to highlighting the benefits of good health and wellbeing and encouraging healthy choices and behaviours.
Stretch & Shine is the perfect programme to support your school’s wellbeing strategy. We can work in varying capacities too, offering a series of progressive sessions per year or weekly sessions throughout the year. We can also cover PPA and join you as part of your enrichment programme and wellness-themed planning. We even offer train-the-trainer programmes for your support staff.
Min worked with all of our children at Leigh on Mendip Primary School. A half-hour Stretch & Shine session first thing on a Monday morning has worked wonders; it was an opportunity to stop, focus on their emotional wellbeing, be calm, breathe, stretch, and chill. The children thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and came into class ready to learn. It really sets them up for the week! Louisa Phillips, Headteacher, Leigh on Mendip Primary School
To be part of this sustainable movement, contact us at [email protected]
We look forward to working with you!
- Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing; A whole school or college approach. Public Health England working with the Department for Education, Sept 2021
- Statutory Guidance, Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing, DfE, Updated 13/09/21, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/physical-health-and-mental-wellbeing-primary-and-secondary Cited 14/12/22
- Statutory Guidance, Relationships Education, DfE, Updated 13/09/21, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education/relationships-education-primary Cited 14/12/22
- Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation. Setting the standards for learning, development and care for children from birth to five Stage, DfE, 31/3/21. Cited 14/12/22
