At Southill Primary School we understand that promoting physical and mental wellbeing is a crucial part of every child’s development. We aim to encourage a sense of enjoyment in being active and to equip all our pupils with the skills and attitudes they need to make informed decisions about their health. These are some of the ways we encourage our children to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles:

• Through our P.E. curriculum the children experience a range of different sports activities and learn about the effects and benefits of regular exercise. We also offer an extensive range of sports clubs before and after school which vary each term.

• Mental health and wellbeing are a part of the daily curriculum. We practise Stormbreak which helps children to improve their relationships with themselves and others through movement, playfulness and connection. The combination of play through movement and shared interaction is vital in providing opportunities for conversations about feelings and responses to everyday situations. It provides an opportunity to talk and share ideas and thoughts about mental health concepts of resilience, relationships, self-worth, self-care and hope. We know this allows children to feel heard and validated in their experience of the world, and enables them to be open in the expression of feelings and their awareness of their own mental health.

• The importance of balanced nutrition and healthy food choices is explicitly taught through the Science, D.T. and PSHE curriculum.

• We take part in various local and nationwide competitions designed to keep children healthy and promote good attitudes, such as Beat The Street (we are the local champions) and The Big Pedal.

• Fitness Thursdays take place every week before school. We organise fun activities for the children to get their hearts beating and their pulses racing – Scoot and Toot, skipping, dancing, hula hooping, running to music, and basketball are just some of the different activities on offer.

• The school enters a high number of local sporting competitions so that as many pupils as possible pupils can enjoy playing sport as part of a school team. We have entered the following competitions this year: football, netball, swimming, orienteering, tri-golf, tennis, athletics, rounders and tag-rugby.

• Bike rides for our older children – we visit a number of local places (there’s usually an ice-cream involved) using the cycle paths around Weymouth.

• We develop children’s knowledge and understanding of the importance of water in their diet by encouraging all children to bring in a water bottle so they can have access to water throughout the day. Water fountains are also provided in the school for additional access to drinking water.

• All KS1 children are provided with one portion of fruit every day. KS2 children are allowed to bring their own choice of snack for morning break time, but it has to be either a piece of fresh fruit or vegetable.

• We provide play equipment and areas which promote physical activity at break times. We have recently introduced two exciting climbing frames which promote communication and teamwork skills while children develop their overall body strength, coordination, core stability, balance, foot placement, grip and grasp and both their fine and gross motor skills.

• Our PSHE curriculum, Jigsaw,  allows children to explore,  understand and develop their emotional wellbeing. Jigsaw sessions  prepare children for life, helping them really know and value who they are and understand how they relate to other people in this ever-changing world.