James Emmitt, Director of PE and Sport, tells us about his ITL work
‘It is our belief that wellbeing plays a huge role in any environment and in this particular case at Sevenoaks School. We recognise that pupils will be placed under stress while at school and this is an inevitable part of any environment be it in school, in the workplace, at home. Therefore, rather than try to alleviate stress, we feel it is important for Sevenoaks School to create an environment that prepares pupils for dealing with tough times. Resilience is a key skill for any pupil at Sevenoaks School, but the aim is for all pupils to have positive memories of school when entering into adulthood.
The Physical Education and Sport department plays a pivotal role in wellbeing at Sevenoaks. Naturally PE and Sport encourages physical benefits of wellbeing but it also develops cognitive benefits which are often overlooked. Along with the PSHE department, these two departments can contribute greatly to a whole strategy moving forwards. During the initial phase of research, we have looked at the physical and mental benefits of PE and discussed possible options for development in the future. At this stage, work has involved searching for and reviewing current existing research.’
Further reading
National Children’s Bureau (2016) A whole school framework for emotional well-being and mental health. Available online
The Guardian (2015) Fit for learning: what research says about the benefits of sport. Available online
