Wellbeing @ JRCS

18 Jun Wellbeing @ JRCS

As a way to mark ‘Thank a Teacher Day’ (23^rd June) we officially opened the Wellbeing Garden this week.  In a small ceremony on Monday our Student Voice teams, Head Girl, myself and Mr Smith all gathered to share appreciation for teachers at JRCS and recognise the important of positive wellbeing in teaching and learning.

Wellbeing has long been a priority at JRCS and as we have navigated the challenges of the past year or so, we have come to learn that we need to work on this a little more to help with our collective recovery.  What we have learnt is that we need space; space to be alone and space to be together.  Importantly, that space needs to be fit for purpose and designed with our school community in mind.

In 2019, we opened the Wellbeing Room which is now used frequently for school counselling sessions and 1:1 meetings with those who need the calming lights, chalkboard wall to write on and mindful activities to get into the right head space to learn.  But, whilst this is an excellent space for most students, for some, this still feels too restrictive as it is a room. Therefore, we set about creating a wellbeing garden designed to bring the benefits of designated space to the outdoor environment for all students to enjoy.

The garden is complete with lights, greenery, summer flowers, a water feature and a brand new mural that was commissioned as a tribute to Mr Smith who retires at the end of this academic year (pictured below).  We are extremely proud of our garden and all that it stands for and we know that our students will treat the space with utmost respect so that we can all enjoy its value for years to come.  We hope that we can welcome you all to Open Evenings and Progress Evenings soon to see it for yourselves.

Additionally, keep an eye on the school website as we will also be launching a ‘Wellbeing Hub’ there to ensure all members of our JRCS community can live well together.

Miss Draisey

Head of Year 11 & JRCS Mental Health Lead