Student Support

Dear Parents and Carers, 

We all know the benefits that a good night's sleep can bring for us and our children. It is so important for learning, development and mood. Children between the ages of 5 and 11 need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep each night. Consistent evening routines can support good quality sleep and may boost children's brain development and emotional resilience, according to a recent US study out of Colorado State University. Thanks to Mrs Galvin for sharing an article regarding the study with staff earlier this year. 

The article explains that brain scans of children who slept less showed areas of the brain associated with language, controlling behaviour and sensory perception to be thinner and an area linked to emotion processing to have a smaller volume. Thirty percent of children in the study came from backgrounds of socioeconomic disadvantage, and were found to sleep less than those who weren't, however, they were less negatively affected if they had regular routines. Family dinners, reading stories, set playtimes and strict bedtimes are all important and beneficial parts to a routine which supports sleep. 

The full article can be found here. A great resource to explore regarding sleep is the Raising Children Network website. It has a number of articles regarding understanding children's sleep, tips for routines and getting quality sleep and guidelines for dealing with sleep problems. 

Enjoy the extra hour of sleep this weekend as daylight savings ends!

Kind regards, 

Emily Sullivan