Student Wellbeing

Practical wisdom

In our very last Senior School Chapel before Covid restrictions took hold I spoke to the students about the importance of perspective. My presentation centered upon the concept of phronesis; more commonly referred to as ‘practical wisdom’ or put more simply the ability to have good sense in decision making. Through experience and critical reflection, we develop the ability to perceive, know, desire and act with good sense. However, not only for children but for all of us, at times it is hard to see beyond our own challenges and to understand them in the context of difficulty for others. This is especially true at the moment when the world seems to have been turned upside down and each day brings more twists and turns. For this reason, we have chosen to explore our character during Term 3 in the Senior School and our resilience in the Junior School.

In the Senior School we are taking our lead from the Jubilee Centre at the University of Birmingham in the UK, which continues to undertake pioneering research into character education within schools. To them, character should be taught, sought and caught within a school context. Central to teaching character is the understanding of virtues, which here at KWS we often refer to as values, traits or characteristics. This term students from Years 7-12 will each explore their own civic, moral, intellectual and performance virtues to better understand where they have emanated in their lives, which need more consideration, and how they plan to develop them in their remaining time at KWS. These virtues are essential for a successful life in which students develop their potential, work productively and creatively, build strong and positive relationships with others, and contribute to their community. I encourage you to discuss the theme of character and role models with your children when possible throughout the term.

Peer Support

In the Junior School this term, students from K-6 are exploring resilience within their assigned Peer-support groups by engaging with the wider topic of ‘Moving Forward’. This unit aims to help students to develop the protective factors of ‘who I am’, ‘what I can do’, and ‘who I have’ when dealing with adversity. Our students will learn to identify their qualities and strengths and to respond with a range of strategies to seek support when faced with challenges. 

2020 House Spectacular Champs!

Finally, it would be remiss of me not to congratulate our 2020 House Spectacular champions… Williams! 

Having gone digital in 2020 due to social distancing guidelines, our Year 11 cohort did a fantastic job of motivating their houses to produce an 8-12 minute video that encapsulated what their house stands for under the wider theme of celebrating talent, participation, and diversity. Despite some fierce competition from Dean, Williams held off the other houses to be crowned champions. Their video about ‘Willy the Ogre’ from the planet Richards captivated the judges (and the wider student body who were watching socially distanced cinema-style in their mentor rooms) to be the deserved outright winner.

The following mash-up gives a brief overview of our entries for 2020.

Mr Tom Riley 

Head of Student Wellbeing