We are very excited to announce that Badminton’s ongoing efforts in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing for our community has been recognised by Bristol City Council through their Healthy Schools Award Scheme.
 
Over the past year, the introduction of the Wellbeing Committee, supported by Lower Sixth pupils, has reinforced the importance of considering our own and our peer’s mental health. The Committee kicked off last academic year with an assembly for National Mental Health Day which focused on kindness. We showed how small, random acts of kindness can make someone’s day and to mark this event we introduced the ‘Badminton Kindness Card’.  Later in the year we held an assembly to launch National Anti-Bullying Week and promoted the ‘Choose Respect’ message. The Committee also led a peer advice sessions for the Year 11s about managing their time and themselves throughout the GCSE examination period; highlighting the importance of keeping a sense of balance and perspective as well as avenues of support and further advice if needed. The Year 11’s felt supported by their peers and commented that there was no one better to receive advice from than someone who has gone through the same experience and was now successfully out the other side!
 
Another exciting initiative for Wellbeing at Badminton, which came to fruition at the end of last term, was the creation of our Wellbeing Garden; a wonderful resource of both therapeutic and educational benefit, which everyone in our community can enjoy. It has been wonderful to see girls from both the Junior and Senior Schools there this week!

Plans for the upcoming year include the growth and development of both the pupil and staff Wellbeing Committees along with training and establishing our ‘Wellbeing Champions’.  We will also be marking national campaigns such as World Mental Health Day and ‘Time to Talk Day’ with events to get staff and pupils thinking about these matters.

We continue to look for ways to reach out to every member of our community and welcoming new members to the Committee this year! 
 
Jasmine and Daisy
Upper Sixth