Mindfulness lessons teach pupils mental training exercises that help develop sustained attention and effective self-regulation, encouraging them to ‘be in the present moment’ – being aware of thoughts and feelings but not becoming overwhelmed and distracted by them.

All pupils in Year 10 and 12 will be following the .b MiSP which has been designed to give school pupils a taste of Mindfulness. When practised regularly it has been shown to be capable of improving mental health and wellbeing, mood, self-esteem, self-regulation, positive behaviour and academic learning. It can aid concentration and focus both during exams and tests, whilst performing on stage and on the sports field. Evidence has shown that pupils can experience greater wellbeing, feel happier and more fulfilled. Some of the lessons have been designed to help pupils to work with difficult thoughts and deal with them in a more positive way. Ultimately, pupils learn how to cope better with everyday stresses such as exams, relationships, sleep issues and family problems.

The feedback from pupils taking the course is very positive:

Mindfulness has helped me to focus more and to be more aware of the things that go on around me.”

“The Beditation practice helps me to get to sleep at night and it clears my mind.”

“The lesson on Befriending Difficulty helped me to learn to respond to difficulty rather than to react to it.”

“I have learnt where my body harbours stress and how to relax with a .b.”

“Mindfulness has helped me deal with stress.” (7/11 breathing)

“Mindfulness has helped me focus, de-stress, be present in the here and now and to sleep better.”

“Mindfulness has enabled me to be more appreciative of the good things in my life.

http://mindfulnessinschools.org/