Health & Wellbeing @ NLPS

JSC Pirate Day Fundraiser – Ahoy, Mateys!

The Newport Lakes Junior School Council is excited to invite all students and families to join in the fun for our upcoming Pirate Day Fundraiser!

When:  Friday 15th of May

Activity: Dress Up Like a Pirate

Purpose: Raising money for Kids with Cancer (Brain Cancer Research)

Students are encouraged to come dressed as pirates for the day! Costumes can be as simple or as creative as you like. If dressing up feels a bit daunting, students are welcome to join in by wearing a small pirate-themed accessory such as a bandana, eye patch, a bird on their shoulder, or even a hooked hand.

Donation: Gold coin donation

Please note: No swords or accessories that could be considered a weapon.

We look forward to seeing our school community come together for a meaningful cause, while having a whole lot of pirate fun along the way! 

Raising Children Who Believe in Themselves

Children experience a wide range of emotions as they move through their school years, and worry is a very natural part of this journey. While some children will have a clinical diagnosis of anxiety, for the majority, occasional worries about school, friendships, or learning are entirely typical and developmentally appropriate. In fact, research consistently highlights that a certain level of challenge and uncertainty plays an important role in building emotional strength and coping skills in children.

As a school, our aim is not to eliminate all worry, but to support children in learning how to manage it. We strive to help every child grow into a confident and resilient individual. But what does resilience actually mean?

Resilience is more than simply 'bouncing back'. It is the ability to face challenges, experience setbacks, and continue moving forward with a sense of belief in oneself. At its core, we want children to develop strong foundations rooted in self-love, self-acceptance, and confidence in their own abilities. When these foundations are in place, children are less likely to question their worth or rely heavily on external validation, regardless of what life brings their way.

By nurturing these qualities now, we are not only supporting children in managing the everyday challenges of school, but also equipping them with the inner strength they will carry into adolescence and adulthood. In a world that is constantly changing, this sense of self becomes their anchor, helping them navigate uncertainty, build healthy relationships, and approach future opportunities with confidence and courage.

A key part of developing resilience is learning how to respond to feedback. This can be difficult, as it’s not always easy for a child (or any of us) to hear, “you need to revisit this part” or “let’s try that again,” without feeling disheartened. We work with children to understand that mistakes are a valuable part of the learning process, as they show that their thinking is being challenged and extended. If mistakes are not happening, it can often mean the work is not yet challenging enough. By reframing errors as opportunities to learn, children begin to approach challenges with greater confidence and a willingness to keep trying.

For parents, it is also important to recognise the role you play in shaping how children view challenges. Naturally, we want to protect our children from discomfort and shield them from our own struggles. However, there is great value in intentionally sharing age-appropriate moments when you have felt worried, made an error, or found something difficult. Talking through how you felt and how you worked through it helps children see that these experiences are a normal part of life. It reassures them that challenges can be managed and overcome, and that they are not alone in how they feel.

At school, we actively teach children to develop a growth mindset; the belief that abilities can improve with effort, practise, and persistence. This is something that can be supported at home in simple, meaningful ways:

• Focus on effort over outcome: Praise the process (“you worked really hard on that”) rather than just the result.
• Normalise mistakes: Talk openly about errors as opportunities to learn, not something to avoid.
• Model problem-solving: When challenges arise, involve your child in thinking through possible solutions.
• Encourage persistence: Gently support your child to keep trying, even when something feels difficult.

As always, we are a team and work together to help children develop the self-belief to face challenges, the resilience to navigate setbacks, and a strong sense of self-worth that will support them well beyond their school years. Our hope is that every child comes to truly know their worth, feeling secure in who they are, trusting in their abilities, and understanding that they are valued for simply being themselves. When children carry this belief with them, they are better equipped to face whatever lies ahead with courage, confidence, and a quiet sense of certainty in who they are. 

A recent article from The Age highlights the importance of supporting children as they navigate everyday challenges, and of building the skills and confidence needed to manage worry and uncertainty. 

Resource - The Age 

Samantha Meddis

Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader