Blog

Welcome to the ResponseAbility blog, where we pose questions and discuss the cutting edge issues facing Britain and the wider world from a distinctly Jewish perspective.

Wellbeing in Schools

Positive psychology claims to improve the psychological of pupils, as well as unlocking learning potential and vastly improved exam results. These claims will also beused as a focus of discussion between teachers, Jewish educators, positivepsychologists and learning experts. Again, these secular ideas have theirJewish echo.

ResponseAbility will then explore the possibility of creating a Chartermark of Wellbeing. The Chartermark would aim to be set alongside exam results as a key indicator of a school’s success. It would be awarded according to a school’s success infollowing a series of initiatives designed to produce a measurable improvement in the wellbeing of teachers and pupils.  

The schools project will examine these six areas and how they may be implemented in school life

• Volunteering 
• Counting one’s blessings
• Strong communities
• Exercise and eating well
• Lifelong learning
• Mindfulness

The hope is that, one day in the future, schools would not define their success byexam results alone, but also by seriously engaging with the well being of their pupils and teachers. And that this would be by means of this Chartermark. The Chartermark would be made up of various simple but proven effective steps thatthe schools will implement to improve the well being of its members. There would also be assessment of the people involved to show the effectiveness of the Chartermark and the difference that these interventions make.