Page 9 - Demo

Guidance and Well-Being Report Well-Being during a year of challenges...
This has been my first year at South Island School and there has been a great deal to look
back and reflect upon. Being tasked with leading the school’s well-being is a significant job
in ‘normal’ circumstances and this year has certainly presented many challenges! But what
I have witnessed over the course of the year has been an incredibly powerful indication of
just how strong the South Island School community is, as well as how remarkably resilient
and talented our staff and students are. This tells me that, even in the toughest of circumstances, this is a school that continues to grow and build on its excellent reputation. I truly feel that I have found a wonderful home here.
Well-being is a word that has grown in recent years in the lexicon of education. There are many different perspectives on what the term “well-being” means - it covers a broad range of concepts from having “meaning” and “purpose” to possessing a “toolkit” of skills to navigate our way through life’s obstacles. Broadly speaking, my job has been to make sure that students remain driven and motivated, and also that they have support mechanisms when needed. This might come from the school, or it might be found within students themselves.
During the course of this year, you might have had some experiences which might, in fact, have developed your sense of well-being.You may have had time to be ‘in the moment’, learn about yourself and reflect upon what is important to you and what you value. You may have demonstrated remarkable coping skills during very significant challenges. You may have put your strengths into action and been proud of the results. Or you may have built new relationships with others and provided a good role model for others.
Nevertheless, we cannot ignore the fact that in all sorts of ways, this year has presented challenges. How did we make sure that our South Island School well-being “tool kits” were in good shape?
School community: One of the remarkable things which has come out of this experience is the strength of our community. When we returned to school after a prolonged period of online learning, It was incredible to see how the school was able to click back into action and resume something approaching normality. I had the privilege recently to take part in the recruitment of a new cohort of Head Prefects. I was hugely impressed with the performance of the applicants in their interviews and presentations - it gave me an insight into the considerable leadership talents of the student body. I encourage you to keep this sense of school community in mind and recognise that we are all part of a strong ‘family’ here at South Island.
The well-being team: Our school continues to be superbly supported by the whole team of pastoral staff - the Heads of House/Year and tutors. The work that they have done to make sure that no student gets left behind is worthy of considerable thanks. I encourage students to take a moment to thank the staff for their support this year. In addition, our counselling team have been a superb asset to the school and something else that is both a source of reassurance and pride.
You, the students! The success of South Island School during challenges owes a great deal to the maturity and determination of our student body. Well done for keeping going and adapting to the changes that characterised this year.
Ms. Lucie Purves
Vice Principal Guidance & Well-Being
School Report 9