Ellesmere Port school in fine health thanks to link with Royal Marines

This month Woodlands Primary School used its solid link with the Royal Marines to welcome Colour Sergeant Mike Beaton MBE, also known as Commando Chef, to the school, where he came to cook with the children.

Woodlands Primary School pupils learned the importance of a healthy lifestyle thanks to the Royal Marines Educational Awareness Team.

The visit helped enhance the pupils' love of and knowledge about healthy food and lifestyles, and boosted their design and technology skills.

It has also allowed them to work with the school cook, Ms Kellee Godfrey, who has been supporting the homeless in the wider community and also fostering a sense of social conscience amongst the children by cooking once a month for Wirral Homeless Angels.

Headteacher Dr Victoria Carr has also shown how to be a mental health champion thanks to a symbolic Med Ball challenge.

Woodlands Primary School headteacher Dr Victoria Carr had a 3kg medicine ball cuffed to her left wrist for a week.

The headteacher took receipt of a medicine ball and had it cuffed to her left wrist for a week.

Dr Carr said: “Carrying the 3kg medicine ball around is meant to symbolise carrying the cumbersome weight of a mental health issue, and exemplify the difficulties people who suffer with them have just doing ordinary day-to-day tasks. It has really made me think."

Woodlands Primary School headteacher Dr Victoria Carr had a 3kg medicine ball cuffed to her left wrist for a week.

An officer in the British Army Reserves in her spare time, Dr Carr brings the military and education world together in many mutually beneficial ways and mental health is just one of them.

Woodlands Primary School has been at the forefront of many mental health initiatives, for staff and pupils, and during the pandemic staff also supported many parents who were struggling.

Last year school devoted two whole INSET days for staff, in addition to after school follow-up sessions, to cater for and support their mental health with national coach and trainer, Christina Mitchell and her ‘Thrive in 5’ programme, and also an international programme called ‘Inner Armour’.

The school also supported a local business during last year’s lockdown by buying into a fitness programme that staff could do at home with an instructor they have worked with on a number of occasions, Claire Pearce Roberts.

Many found this beneficial when gyms were closed and the classes were a great source of fun for not just staff but also their families.

This year, through links developed with the military, the school has investigated a new product and will invest in Leafyard as another layer of staff support.

Leafyard is a web application that combines science and study to motivate people to take control of their own mental health and having trialled it, the school believes it could support their team.

In celebrating the work they have done on this crucial aspect of school life, school are happy to say that they have two trained ELSA (emotional literacy support assistant) specialist teaching assistants who work across school, and a third is currently completing their training.

The benefits of this human resource is that so many children struggling have the ability to talk and work through the complicated feelings they have, supporting increased ability to self-regulate behaviour both in and out of school.

Woodlands hosted pupils and staff from across Cheshire West for two days last term for Young Mental Health Champion training.

Everyone was lucky enough to work with the amazing athlete mentor Jenna Downing.

A 10-times British Champion and World Champion, Jenna is the number one female inline skater, having competed in rollerblading events since she was eight and becoming the youngest ever female to turn pro aged 12.

Growing up in a deprived area, Jenna had to work hard to get to where she is today whilst facing a multitude of obstacles.

Having been an athlete mentor for several years, she said: “I am really looking forward to visiting as many schools as possible and sharing my personal story with young people in the hope that I can make a difference to their lives.”

Children were so inspired by her and took a lot from the opportunity, as did staff.