Start Your School's Journey to a Whole School Mindfulness & Compassion Based Approach to Wellbeing
12 Week Introductory Programme
Delivering Bespoke and Inspirational Training to Primary Schools and the Whole School Community
New Challenges Require a Different Approach
Dealing with the rise of mental health problems and emotional and social needs in our schools requires a new approach to wellbeing. Offering tools and strategies to the whole school community is how we make lasting and positive change in our society.
There is so much evidence now that shows mindfulness activities can improve the mental, emotional, social and physical health and well-being of young people. It has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, reactivity and challenging behaviour, improve sleep and self-belief, and bring about a greater sense of calm and self-awareness.
After 15 years working in the primary sector I found myself torn between knowing that my role was important and feeling frustrated by the pressure the system was putting on every individual at every level. I decided there must be a way to achieve work life balance and support children to thrive.
Whilst teaching, I trained as a holistic health coach and completed a Leadership for Change research programme with the Institute of Education at University College London.
Researching the impact of children's emotional, social and academic outcomes through taking a whole school approach to integrating mindfulness and self compassion into the curriculum.
It is from this research and implementation within schools that, I've developed a pioneering programme that supports primary schools in bringing wellbeing back to the heart of education and our community.
EVERY child, EVERY teacher and EVERY parent should have the tools to navigate the challenges in their lives and reach their full potential.
Building Resilience
Mindfulness contributes directly to the development of cognitive and performance skills, memory, self control and flexible thinking. It helps young people pay greater attention, be more focused, think in more innovative ways, use existing knowledge more effectively, improve working memory, and enhance planning, problem solving and reasoning skills.
Most children will have experienced a stressful or traumatic event that will impact their nervous system and therefore their ability to self-regulate, process and retain information. Trauma and stressful events in one’s life directly impact your ability to be creative, to have positive relationships and to solve problems both in life and in the work place.
Solution Focused
There is a solution to the problems we face as a society and it starts with equipping our young people with the mental capacity to navigate the challenges in their life.
Teachers, staff and parents have also experienced a range of stress and trauma in their lives and this is why a whole school approach is essential.
If we're to address issues of inequality and a widening attainment gap, we must equip children with a positive mindset and the ability to regulate their nervous system. This mind and body approach builds confidence, resilience and enables individuals to feel calm even during stressful and difficult situations.
Doing a short course on mindfulness or the odd day here and there is not enough, it needs to be interwoven into the fabric of the school.
Leading the way
As a busy school teacher myself, I fully appreciate and understand the pressures that teachers and senior leaders have when integrating whole school initiatives. This is why I have created a 12 week introductory programme that supports schools on their journey in taking a whole school mindfulness approach to putting wellbeing at the heart of our school communities.
To ensure wellbeing initiatives are effective it is vital the right training and support is offered across the school community.
The support I offer during this course can be designed according to the needs of your school community. This includes an initial conversation to discuss what is going well and what your next steps are.
I work collaboratively with teaching staff so teachers feel confident in delivering an effective mindfulness curriculum, as well as training support staff to ensure a consistent approach is achieved across the school. I also lead information and training events for parents and carers.
You can find out more about how this programme is organised below.
I also run courses, workshops and coaching programmes for teachers and senior leaders in navigating the challenges of working within the education system.
Please contact me directly to discuss these options.
"I would highly recommend the course, an Introduction to Mindfulness, that Lorna runs in schools. There is now ample evidence to suggest that mental health issues are on the rise and that these are prevalent in young people; with the developments in technology there are more pressures than ever on children. This course brings the educational focus back to the child."
PSHE lead Newington Green Primary, London.
Interested in Self Mastery in the Education? Contact me to arrange a free consultation or email me at info@lornamacphail.com
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