Social Media and Young People’s Wellbeing

October 11, 2021.Reading time 3 minutes.

I am no supporter of the stance that social media is inherently harmful. Indeed, I use it daily, but the testimony of Facebook whistle-blower Frances Haugen before the US Senate this week emphasises that we need to continue to be vigilant about its potential impact on young people’s well-being and development. Although we are yet […]

Locking down children’s play?

April 27, 2021.Reading time 2 minutes.

Given the evidence of the importance of unstructured (not necessarily completely unsupervised) play for children’s development and well being, which is reinforced from my office window each day, I was interested to read the results of the large-scale British Children’s Play Survey that were published this week. The study suggested that children were now having […]

Wellbeing vs. Learning, an either/or issue?

March 19, 2021.Reading time 3 minutes.

As the children return to school, the matter of ‘catching up’ on learning and nourishing their mental health cannot be an either/or. In fact, doing all we can to support their wellbeing after the stresses of the pandemic is a vital component in promoting progress in their learning. As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs suggests, in order […]

Protecting and boosting our children’s well-being on their return from lockdown

March 3, 2021.Reading time 7 minutes.

I am very excited about the children’s return to campus on 8th March with all the opportunities and enjoyment this is sure to bring. Once again, despite many uncertainties, with your support and that of their teachers, our pupils have dealt with all that has been thrown at them with a great deal of resourcefulness, […]