How to Grow a Grown-up - Parenting in a Pandemic
On Thursday 3rd February we have invited Dr Dominique Thompson to speak to parents on how best to help build your child's confidence and resilience - so they can become a strong, happy and independent adult.
This presentation is FREE and will be taking place for us online from 6.30pm – 8.00pm
Dr Thompson is an award-winning GP, young people’s mental health expert, TEDx speaker, author and educator, with over 20 years of clinical experience caring for students, including as a police and expedition doctor, and as Director of Service at the University of Bristol Students’ Health Service. It was for this work that she was named Bristol Healthcare Professional of the Year 2017. Dominique is the author of the Student Wellbeing Series of books, and has co-written a book for parents of teenagers ‘How to Grow a Grown Up’, with the aim of developing an independent and resilient younger generation.
The talk is aimed at John of Gaunt parents of students from years 7 to 13 and will cover:
· An overview of the pressures and problems facing this generation of young people - why are they increasingly stressed, anxious or suffering from mental health issues
· What exactly parents can do to help their teens and young adults become healthily independent, navigate challenges and flourish in preparation for adult life
· Top tips for addressing new challenges such as social media, tech use, sexting and study drug use, as well as traditional worries like alcohol and parties
· Ways to recognise the signs of mental health distress and what to do about it, particularly dealing with problems from a distance.
We are anticipating this to be a popular event as Dominique has spoken to John of Gaunt parents previously, and she has always been well received. The event will be a live broadcast on Microsoft Teams and the link is below:
Dr Dominique Thompson - How to Grow a Grown Up Microsoft Teams Link
Last weekend 38 students attempted the sometimes brutal challenge of the 32-mile Imber Range Path over two days. Forced to carry their sleeping bags, roll-mats, tents, stoves and spare food; the heavier packs made this a much more physical challenge than many of their previous hikes. The weekend began at Upton Scudamore barn, and students traversed the often icy track around up past Westbury White Horse and Bratton surrounded by glorious sunshine hitting the morning mist (accompanied by the sound of skylarks and corn buntings). The pace was an impressive 4km an hour and this was brilliantly maintained
throughout the day as the group powered past the frosted fields around Gore Cross and Tilshead. The group arrived at the designated camping spot in Chitterne well ahead of schedule and managed to use their fading daylight to get their tents up and cook themselves some dinner. 18 miles had been completed leaving 14 more for Sunday.
Showers overnight led to some wet tents and equipment in the morning, and the bitter cold and tiredness from the previous day combined to deter a few students from continuing. However, a record number faced up to their second day and pushed their aching limbs out onto the Imber Range Path for another (even tougher) day - up over the hill forts near Heytesbury and Warminster (Cotley Hill, Middle Hill, Scratchbury Hill, Battlesbury Hill) before the huge final climb up past the golf-course and back to the minibus at Upton Scudamore Barn. The 45-mile team even added some additional miles on by continuing past the finish to get to the White Horse. 
As a school we take all forms of bullying behaviour and harassment seriously. We are working with staff and students to ensure that our practises are the best that they can be to meet the needs of our students. This week we have shared with students an assembly around the topic of harassment and bullying behaviour, what it is and how they can report it, either as a witness or as a victim.