Anti-Bullying Week 2023: Make A Noise About Bullying
Here at Guru Nanak Sikh Academy, we are proud to support Anti-Bullying Week.
The theme was 'Make A Noise About Bullying' and it took place from Monday 13th to Friday 17th November. The week was kicked off with Odd Socks Day on Monday 13th November, where adults and children wore odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.
Odd Socks Day provides an opportunity in school to have fun, be yourself, and spread awareness of the core values Anti-Bullying Week promotes.
All our staff and pupils participated in a range of activities organised by the ‘GNSA Wellbeing Ambassadors’ throughout the week to raise awareness.
The week's events were prepared by the GNSA wellbeing ambassadors. We began anti-bullying week by having all staff and pupils wear odd socks. Then, throughout the week, staff and pupils participated in a variety of activities such as mindful colouring, anti-bullying activities, designing your own odd socks, and we ended the week with some fun dancing.
Tuesday 14th November 2023: Helping Hand Anti-Bullying Activity
The pupils identified five different people they could tell about bullying and wrote them down.
Top 10 tips for winter wellbeing
Tip 1: Keep to a daily routine – with shorter, colder days, it can feel harder to keep our normal activities going. We usually feel better if we’re up and dressed, eating at regular mealtimes and going to bed at the same time.
Tip 2: Stay connected – a friendly natter by phone, online or meeting friends in a way that feels comfortable to us can help us feel connected.
Tip 3: Do things you enjoy – in the bad weather, it is even more important to take time to enjoy ourselves each day. It can also be fun to try something new, get creative or dust off an old hobby.
Tip 4: Get outside for some sunlight and exercise – try to get outside for at least 20 minutes of exercise each day.
Tip 5: Look after your physical health: Keep warm – Public Health England recommends that indoor temperatures should be between 18 and 21° Eat well – eat regular, nourishing, hot meals including plenty of vegetables. Stay hydrated – drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid each day and have regular hot drinks on cold days. Sleep well – if you’re struggling to get a good nights sleep, check out NHS Get Help Sleeping guide. Keep active – it’s important to keep moving. We can walk the stairs or try an online exercise or yoga video.
Tip 6: Make a plan – make a plan for days of celebration that are special to you.
Tip 7: Relax and unwind – Take some time each day to relax. Find what works for you, whether that’s watching the bird table, caring for your plants, going for a run, or getting up and moving to your favourite festive tunes.
Tip 8: Drink sensibly – taking a mindful approach to what we’re drinking can have huge benefits for our physical and emotional health.
Tip 9: Write it down – keeping a journal can be a great way to explore and organise our thoughts. It can help us plan our day, express gratitude and understand our worries and feelings.
Tip 10: Ask for help – if we’re struggling, it’s ok to ask for help if we need to, there’s always someone to talk to. Ringing or texting a helpline such as SHOUT if we’re lonely can help us feel better too. Individuals can text WILTS to 85258 to receive free, confidential support from a trained volunteer via text message.
Books to support talking about mental health with children & young people The Huge Bag of Worries by Virginia Ironside A reassuring picture book that encourages children to open up about their feelings. The perfect book to soothe worries during stressful times. Available through Amazon
The Very Hungry Worry Monsters
Join these bunch of Worry Monsters in this hilarious tale about the monsters that swallow up your biggest worries!
When Frettie Fluster, the Worry Monster expert, realises she cannot find one of the monsters, she starts to worry...
Discover the adventures of these Worry Monsters and encourage your child to talk openly about all of their worries!
Equality and Diversity Book Recommendation:
Included by Jayneen Sanders Illustrated by Camila Carrossine
The aim of this story is to ensure all kids understand that kids with disability are just like kids everywhere. They love playing games, books, making stuff and being silly. They have things they are good at and things they need to work on. And just like kids everywhere they want to feel safe, loved and included. This book provides the reader with ways they can be more inclusive in their play and encourages the celebration of diversity in all its unique and wonderful forms. Children will come away with a growing understanding that people everywhere have differing abilities, and this only makes the world a more colourful, exciting, diverse and amazing place.
Pose: Tree Pose
Ages: Young kids/teens (younger children can modify this pose by bringing the arms to the heart and slightly bringing up one foot)
Mantra: I am kind
This pose is great for balancing and improving concentration. Stability comes from tightening and lengthening the core. Hold the Tree pose and promote quiet time. Quiet the mind and imagine being a tree. Gaze out into the forest and focus on the grounding of your leg. Tell kids to imagine their foot being the root, growing deep into the Earth.
How to do a tree pose:
Stand up straight and tall in mountain pose. Take in a deep breath.
Look ahead and find a point (this can be an object, a wall, or window) to focus on.
As you breathe out, slowly bring up your left foot. Bend your knee, and place your left foot on the inside part of your right leg.
Relax and straighten the left leg on the floor, shifting your weight into the foot. Ground it – imagine it being a tree root, weaving through the Earth and hold steady.
Inhale and bring your hands to your sides. Reach out like branches on a tree.
Exhale and bring the hands together in front of your heart. Then lift them strongly overhead. You are a growing tree!
Hold the pose and gaze ahead. Imagine being a tree. What type of tree are you? Are you in a grove? In the middle of a meadow? In a park? Think about where trees live.
Toddlers and preschoolers, hold for just a quick moment. Big kids, see how long you can stay in the pose!
When you feel done, return your leg to the ground and arms to the sides. Now repeat with the other leg to be balanced.
Places to go for help and support
This website from the NHS offers help you look after your child’s mental health and wellbeing as well as the rest of the family. https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/
The NSPCC are offering support and advice if you feel your child is struggling with their mental health and anxiety.
More information and advice can be found on their website:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk
Young Minds https://youngminds.org.uk/
