YEAR 7: Value Your Well-being: Healthy Eating including Ultra Processed Foods & Energy Drinks
It is striking that even though we know more about how food affects our health, NHS statistics show rising childhood obesity, tooth decay and anxiety. Modern lifestyles, but also food industry marketing targeted at children, play a large part in the explaining the discrepancy. In today’s session, Year 7 were reminded of the recommended nutritional balance for their age group. After this, they explored how many of today’s most popular foods do not meet these standards and are highly unhealthy. This included seeing how UPFs and energy drinks not only fail to meet their nutritional needs, but actually cause health problems from weight-gain, to cavities, and even mental ill-health. The session concluded with the question of whose responsibility it is to keep young people healthy and well: theirs, parents, the government or the food producers. Please ask your child what they learned and decided in their discussion today.
YEAR 8: Value Your Well-being: Healthy Living: Smoking & Vaping
It seems incredibly unfair that, just as rates of teenage smoking have declined, vapes have moved from being products to help people stop smoking to a new addiction for children. An increasing number of young people see vapes as nice-tasting, harmless, and even relaxing. Worryingly, this is at the same time as medics are beginning to highlight significant health problems associated with vape use by children. In today’s PD session, students covered the fundamental issues as identified by the NHS. These include:
- Vaping exposes users to some toxins, and we do not yet know what the risks might be in the longer term.
- Most vapes contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance that can be hard to stop using once you have started.
- Nicotine is more risky for young people than for adults, as evidence suggests the developing brain is more sensitive to its addictive effects.
- In the UK, it is against the law to sell nicotine vaping products to under-18s or for adults to buy them on their behalf.
- Some disposable vapes on sale are illegal and do not meet UK safety regulations. They can contain high levels of harmful substances.
We know that most of our students understand these risks and do not and never would vape. Nonetheless, the way that many vapes are marketed in bright colours and sweet flavours, means that a number have been tempted to vape and at younger and younger ages. The information today was designed to open their eyes to the dangers and to help them, with adult support, resist the temptations and exploitation direct towards them.
YEAR 9 & 10: Voluntary Opportunities
This week, two more year groups heard about the support and incredible opportunities available to them from Young Carers and Barnardos SWAP. This was especially helpful in the run-up to summer when so many additional activities are on offer.
YEAR 12: Challenged to Work Well: Academic Mindset
In many ways, the step up from Year 12 to Year 13 is even more challenging that that from GCSE. Whilst Year 12 demands working at a higher level of understanding, the absence for external examinations in most subjects also makes it difficult for students to see exactly how much consistent effort they should put into their work. Year 13 – with new content, revision and coursework – can therefore often land with a bump. To alleviate this problem, therefore, today’s PD session looked at some of the psychological and social challenges to studying steadily and successfully. It then helped students set summer study goals that will make sure they return to Year 13 in the very best position to limit stress and maximise achievement overall.
