Springwood Junior and Infant schools host Partying for Positivity Day to support pupils during Children's Mental Health Week

Teachers at the school decided to launch the initiative as part of Children’s Mental Health Week after parents and children ‘were starting to struggle with the impact of lockdown’.

Assistant headteacher Gill Goodwin said: ‘On the whole, the children and families have done really well with the impact of lockdown. But this week, as part of our calls to parents to help with remote learning, it seemed like people are really starting to struggle.

‘We have had a few wobbles with children in school and with families at home.

‘This time of year is always challenging anyway and with children and parents possibly feeling lower than usual we just felt it was important to do something to help cheer everyone up.’

The event saw children both at home and in school dress in bright colourful clothing, make party decorations, including a competition to create the largest paper chain, and play interactive party games.

All pupils could take part in a range of activities including making party food, creating puppets, designing party invitations, singing uplifting songs and creating new dance moves. Pupils working remotely were able to submit their creations via the schools websites.

Year 6 pupil Jasmine Dickerson said: ‘Some people at home may be struggling and it’s important they know we are all thinking about each other.’

Year 2 pupil Madeleine Parker, six, added: ‘I have enjoyed today. We need to cheer everybody up because Covid is making people sad.’

SEE ALSO: Lee-on-the-Solent business launches competition to create free post lockdown playground trail for schools

A recent NHS report highlighted the potential impact of the pandemic on children’s mental wellbeing with one in six children between five and 16 believed to have a mental health disorder - up from one in nine.

Year 4 pupil Mia-Skye Brunt said: ‘It’s about mental health. Everybody has this but some people's brains make them sad - we are trying to cheer them up.’

Mrs Goodwin added: ‘It has been wonderful to see our teachers and children at home and school smiling and the school was once again full of positive energy. The children are on a mission to spread the Springwood smile with all their families.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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