This is how to make this headmaster happy

Bradford Grammar School (BGS) launched ‘Spotlight on Happiness’ Monday 20 March to coincide with International Day of Happiness. The online public video resource is tailored for children, young people and adults to learn about well-being in school and why it’s so important.

According to a new landmark study, led by a team of researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE), the strongest factor predicting a happy adult life is not children’s qualifications but their emotional health. Lord Richard Layard, who led the report, said:

“There is also powerful evidence that schools have a big impact on children’s emotional health, and which school a child goes to will affect their emotional well-being as much as it affects their exam performance.”

“The strongest factor predicting a happy adult life is not children’s qualifications but their emotional health. There is also powerful evidence that schools have a big impact on children’s emotional health, and which school a child goes to will affect their emotional well-being as much as it affects their exam performance.”

Theresa May’s recent ‘shared society’ speech revealed that ‘words are not enough’ to tackle this ongoing mental health crisis, and in response, announced a large government intervention promising greater links between NHS services and schools, with budgets reallocated to address the issue.

We also know that these contributing factors can increase the likelihood of mental health problems with three-quarters of problems in adults starting in childhood.

In tandem with the government’s pledge of £1.25 billion to improve children and young people’s mental health services, the Department of Health and NHS England published ‘Future in mind’, with a proposal to encourage schools to continue to develop ‘whole school approaches’ to promoting emotional wellbeing and mental health.

We feel this year would be the perfect time to raise awareness of this whole school approach across ‘Well-being and Mental Health’, ‘Creativity and the Arts’, ‘Community Outreach and Enrichment’, ‘Sport and Healthy Living’ and ‘Personalised Teaching’ and how children, young people, and adults can get involved and find out more.

For more information visit http://www.bradfordgrammar.com/coming-soon-spotlight-happiness/.