Here at Oxford High School, our students’ wellbeing and happiness is our top priority. That’s why, this week, we decided to run a ‘Wellness Week’, which served as an opportunity for our students to learn more about mental health, develop new skills for dealing with difficulties and to work together to create a culture of openness and kindness, in which every member of our school community feels valued and supported.
With a jam-packed programme running throughout the week, students were able to partake in a wide range of activities and initiatives, which ranged from mindfulness sessions to team building workshops. We even welcomed (virtually) a number of expert speakers, including OHS alumna Laura Dexter who spoke to Years 10-13 about managing anxiety, and Mrs Karnacz from Seedlings Wellbeing who talked to Years 7-9 about tools for coping with anxiety. A special mention also goes to our Year 13 Psychology students, who ran a thought-provoking session all about sleep hygiene and shared many practical tips for achieving a restful night.
Given the positive impact physical activity has on wellbeing, many of the week’s activities and initiatives were focused on getting active. Our fantastic PE Department, following the success of last year’s Race Across Europe, launched OHS’s Race to Beijing Competition which challenged students to clock up the kilometres, whether swimming, cycling, walking or running. Students were also able to sign up for a lunchtime ‘Fit Ball Frolic’ session.
The week concluded with a non-uniform day, for which students were encouraged to wear something that made them happy, a lunchtime disco in the Main Hall and ice creams from the ice cream van.
What a wonderful Wellness Week we’ve had here at OHS. Thank you to everyone involved in the organisation of this initiative and to our students for participating so wholeheartedly.