Specialist Subjects:
Wellbeing
We aim to promote positive emotional and mental health and wellbeing for our whole school community and recognise that it has equal importance to our physical health. We believe that a self-aware, resilient child is one who will get the most out of the opportunities available to them, who will develop both academically and emotionally and who will grow into a young person able to embrace the challenges that life offers.
All staff have a responsibility for pastoral care and the emotional wellbeing of our students, with Form Teachers providing day to day care for them. We offer a Listening Ear service for students and, when appropriate, we work with them and parents to manage concerns. Our curriculum includes wellbeing lessons in a number of year groups which, together with weekly PSHE (Personal, Social, Health Education) sessions, help our students to develop a toolbox of skills and strategies to recognise their emotions, manage stress and anxiety, raise self-esteem and know how to find their inner calm. We regularly refer to the 5 winning ways to wellbeing:
Life does not always go smoothly, and we believe it is important to help our students develop a sense of perspective, enabling them, with adult support, to distinguish between the normal ups and downs of daily life, and more significant or persistent worries or difficulties. We also ensure that our students know that they can speak openly about emotional wellbeing, that they are equipped with the vocabulary to do so, and that they understand when and how they can seek help.
Art
The visual arts are an integral part of everyday life. The exposure and encouragement of creativity is an essential learning experience for our students, here within the Abbey Junior School. Our pupils are able to readily express, communicate and understand the wider context of artistic practice. The rich and diverse creative learning helps to develop our student’s individual breadth and scope of visual awareness, communication and self-expression, both within the classroom and beyond. Students work creatively to develop key skills to become independent thinkers, inquirers and risk-takers, whilst reflecting on their practice and overall learning journey. Personal, social, moral, spiritual and cultural developments are embraced.
We are fortunate to have a well resourced, specialist art room as well as specialised technical support. Learners are encouraged to explore working with traditional and new media such as painting, drawing, printing, ceramics, mixed media, and new technologies. Being able to have a range of tactile and sensory experiences is essential for our learners. Ultimately having the breadth of opportunity will develop student engagement, confidence, competence, problem-solving and imaginative skill.
Beyond the classroom, students are offered a variety of lunch clubs and activities to enhance and further develop their classroom learning. This can range from ceramics to craft. We encourage students to enter external competitions regularly and offer creative trips. Wider opportunities such as working with external artists and our resident artist is also encouraged. Annually, students’ work is celebrated and showcased in our ‘Turret House’ gallery space.