Going to Secondary School

Moving schools means there are lots of changes to deal with, like travelling to school, new friends and new opportunities. It is important to stay health and look after your physical and emotional health. Just as people’s bodies become unwell people’s minds can become unwell too. Mental health problems are more common that you might think. Emotional health is something that most people find hard to talk about. This page will give you some tips to help keep your mind and body healthy and happy.

Having people to talk to…

Are you are worried about something or someone who would you talk to? It is recommended that you have 5 adults that you can talk to about any worries you may have. These people may be people at home, such as your mum, dad, carer, auntie, uncle or neighbour. There may also be people at school, or in your community, such as school teacher, GP, youth group leader or school nurse. An easy way of remembering who these people are is to allocate them to a finger on your hand.

What is wellbeing?

The five ways to wellbeing are ways in which you can promote positive wellbeing. Wellbeing is when you feel good and enjoy your day-to-day life and has two main themes; feeling good and functioning well. Feelings of happiness, contentment and curiosity engagement and enjoyment are characteristics of someone with a positive experience of their life. Functioning in the world of positive relationships, having a sense of purpose and some control over your life are important areas of well-being.

1. Connect
You can connect with the people around you; family friends and neighbours, at school or in your local community. Think of these as the connections, and invest time in developing them throughout your life. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day. Connecting with people around you can be very difficult if you are using your tablet or other screens too much. Prioritise family and friend time.

2. Be active
Being active is for people of all ages and does not need to be intense physical activity. Being active such as walking and cycling can also encourage social interactions. Taking regular breaks from screens is really important.

3. Take Notice
Be Curious. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to school, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you. Take time to stop and become aware of your surroundings, listen to your thoughts and feelings about them.

4. Keep learning
Try something new. Rediscover old interests, like riding a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun to do.

5. Give
Do something nice for a friend. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out as well as in. Seeing yourself and your happiness linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you. Any acts of kindness, whether small or large can make you feel happier and more satisfied about your life.

Staying healthy throughout secondary school

Good mood food – did you know that good food is good for your mood? A healthy balanced diet helps you grow, gives you energy. It’s not just your body that needs feeding your mind is affected by what you eat too. Lots of scientists have discovered that there is lots of evidence showing the link between what we eat and how we feel. This is called the “food-mood” connection. How we feel influences what we choose to eat or drink and a healthy diet can protect our mental health. (Mind, 2014). Start your day positively and have a nutritious breakfast and plenty of water to drink throughout the day.

If you’d like any more support and advice ask your teacher or parents to contact the school nurse.