Pocklington School Newsletter Michaelmas Term 2018 | Page 6

School Scoops Pioneering
Mental Health Award
Pocklington School has become the first
Boarding School in the country to be awarded
the Boarding School Mental Health Award for
its outstanding mental health and wellbeing
provision.
The School met the strict criteria demanded to
achieve the Award, established in 2017 by the
Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental
Health in Schools - part of Leeds Beckett
University - and social enterprise Minds Ahead.
The Award aims to strengthen pupils’ mental
health by supporting schools to make a positive
change, improving students’ outcomes and life
chances.
Pastoral News
communication open and support the mental
wellbeing of both pupils and parents. They also
noted the School’s strong links with external
mental
health
services,
the
support
programmes available to staff, and our effective
transition service to welcome new pupils and
parents.
This Term has provided the Pastoral Team with a
good opportunity to engage with external
support to inform our students, parents and
staff and to help update our knowledge,
thinking and policies.
Karl Hopwood from esafetyltd.co.uk briefed all
pupils from Year 4 at the prep school to Sixth
Form on how to keep their online presence
appropriately safe. Older pupils were advised
how to keep personal information private on
social media sites, and parents were reminded
of their legal responsibilities as the mobile
account holders for their children. We hope you
found the presentation materials shared
through the weekly email useful.
Bob Tait from dreduk.co.uk returned after
visiting the School during summer term to talk
to our Sixth Form, support staff and parents to
raise their awareness of the threat posed by
drug and alcohol abuse. All audiences found
Bob’s knowledge of such matters frank and
thorough, with lots of practical advice that
parents can use on the safe running of teenage
parties as well as the detail needed to keep our
substance abuse policy up to date.
Mark Ronan, Headmaster, said: “We are proud
and delighted to be the first UK boarding
school to receive the Boarding School Mental
Health Award. It is a reflection of the individual
focus, together with an emphasis on pastoral
care, which we prioritise in every aspect of
school life.”
Assessors gave the School Silver level in the
Award. They found staff excelled in working
with parents and carers to keep channels of
Chatta Learning App ‘Among World’s
Most Inspiring Education Innovations’
As I write, we are about to have our second
Parent’s Forum. This time, the topic for
discussion is exam stress and anxiety. In a
society with increasing mental health concerns,
it is vital that school and parents work together
to allow our children to gain the perspective
needed to prioritise what is really important in
life.
Best wishes for a relaxing Christmas break with
friends and family.
Music
The learning app which helps Early Learners at
Pocklington School speak more fluently has
been named as one of the world’s most
inspiring education innovations at the HundrED
Innovation summit in Helsinki.
The Chatta app, which is being developed with
the School’s support, was among 100 top
education innovations from 36 countries
selected for their innovativeness, impact and
scalability. HundrED is a non-profit education
organisation which shares best practice ideas
and innovations to help improve the future of
education globally.
The app works by encouraging children to
upload and talk about their own pictures and
photos. It is used at the School to help Pre-Prep
and Early Years children improve their
command of language and vocabulary, as well
as to support overseas boarders as they master
the English language. The app also helps
children with special needs speak more fluently.
Chris Williams, Chatta Co-Founder, said: “It’s an
immense honour to join this list of education
innovators. Pocklington School was quick to
spot the value of the app in helping learners
become strong communicators at any level and
in any language. The School has embraced our
journey by supporting and endorsing Chatta,
which we appreciate very much.”
5
Many of the Music Department’s musicians
performed in the Autumn Concert prior to half
term and the highlight of the evening had to be
the entire First Year singing Andrew Lloyd
Webber’s original version of ‘Joseph and the
Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, which was
thrilling and uplifting. After half term, 16
students from 1st Year to Upper Sixth took part
in the Soloists’ Concert, before a supportive
and appreciative audience. The focus for the
remainder of term has been preparing the
choirs to perform for the Festival of Nine
Lessons and Carols.
The Musical Theatre Society continues to thrive
and attract young students. Following their
performance of 'Musicals Through the Ages’ in
March 2018, a company of more than 60
performers are now preparing for a
performance of ‘Seussical Jr’ to take place in
March 2019. Do make sure to book your tickets!