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The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

The Optimus blog

The blog that inspires leaders in the UK education sector

pupil mental health

Charlie Roden
21 February 2020

Wellbeing podcast: social media

In the third episode of the Optimus wellbeing podcast, Charlie Roden looks at the impact that social media is having on our mental health, and ways to make social media habits healthier. Last year, the number of active social media users in the UK grew to 45 million . This translates to around 67%...
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Charlie Roden
6 August 2019

Promoting positive body image in boys

Charlie Roden looks at how negative body image is becoming increasingly common in boys and young men, and what schools can do to help. In the last eight years, the number of men with an eating disorder has risen by 70% – the same rate of increase as women. In the last seven years, the amount of...
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Paul Gooding
31 July 2019

10 simple steps to enhancing whole school wellbeing

Want to improve your school's mental health but don't know where to start? Follow these 10 simple steps to support the positive wellbeing of both students and staff. Promoting positive wellbeing is central to education. After all, wellbeing is the canvas upon which students learn – it is the...
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John Dabell
25 June 2019

What's the point in breaktimes?

John Dabell looks at the emotional and physical benefits of breaktimes, and how teachers can supervise pupils without interfering. Most children look forward to playtime – they can’t wait to get outside for a break. It’s their time and they have a fair degree of ownership over it. It’s a part of...
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Emily Colyer
17 May 2019

Boys' underachievement: rethinking masculinity in schools

Why are boys falling behind in school? Emily Colyer interviews Matt Pinkett about boys' underperformance in his new book Boys Don’t Try? Rethinking Masculinity in Schools. What prompted you to write a book about boys’ underachievement in education? Ever since I started teaching, the debate about...
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Dr Helen O'Connor
8 May 2019

Introducing 'positive education' into the curriculum

Embedding wellbeing in the curriculum is more important than ever. Dr Helen O'Connor shares how 'positive education' has been introduced in her school, and how it can be adapted to suit different environments. It's easy to predict what parents want most for their children. They want them to be...
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Charlie Roden
24 April 2019

Promoting positive wellbeing in the early years

What happens during a child's earliest years can have a lasting impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Charlie Roden looks at how we can help children get the best start in life. The first five years of a child’s life are crucial for development. It is during these years that a child’s brain...
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Lisa Griffin
19 June 2018

‘Wellbeing at the heart of our school’

We visited Lessness Heath Primary School to congratulate them on their wellbeing provision and present them with the Wellbeing Award for Schools. Sunshine and blue skies set the scene for a day of celebration at Lessness Heath Primary School . The school is the first to achieve the Wellbeing Award...
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Katie Renton
14 May 2018

4 ways to develop resilient teenage learners

To prepare young people for success in later life, we must first help them overcome adversity, cope with uncertainty and recover from failure in the present. It’s no secret that the life of a teenager is challenging, and that building resilience against stress, anxiety and pressure is no easy task...
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Gareth D Morewood
8 December 2017

SENCOs: make the end of term festive, not frantic!

'Tis the season to be jolly, but with very little 'down time' in the run-up to the end of term, SENCOs need to make sure they allow time for self-care. Don't let a long to-do list wear you down in these last few weeks of term You might think that the run-in to the festive break heralds unbounded...
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