Flourish Hub School
At St Mary's we have two Teaching Assistants, Mrs Dowe and Mrs Potter who are trained to deliver the Flourish Project to pupils in Year 6.
Since self-esteem and mental well-being are crucial components of children's development, we are well aware of how both of these can significantly impact their academic attainment and future employability. For this reason we chose to become a Flourish Project Hub School.
Improving self-esteem can lead to improved academic attainment. When a child has a positive self-image, they are more likely to believe in their abilities and have the confidence to take on challenges. This confidence can translate into better academic performance, as children who believe in themselves are more likely to try harder, take risks and persist in the face of difficulty. Studies have shown that children with higher self-esteem are more likely to perform well in school and achieve higher grades.
'Happy children thrive; unhappy children do not thrive.'
We know as a school that we play a crucial part in helping to promote positive mental health and self-esteem in our pupils in order for them to reach their full potential and succeed in the future!
Read more below in our 2023 Flourish Project Annual Report
Flourish sessions
The Year 6 children chosen to participate in the Flourish sessions thoroughly enjoyed it. Within the sessions the children learned how to change negative affirmations into positive affirmations and learned through a variety of games how to make new friends and feel better about themselves. They learned how to encourage and trust each other whilst learning new skills. This helped them deal with their insecurities and anxieties.
Pupil Voice
'I really enjoyed my Flourish sessions. It really got me to come out of my shell and gave my confidence a boost'.
'I felt like barely anyone liked me as a friend but by the end I had made new friends and my self-esteem is now really high. I think Flourish really helped me. It was fun as well.'
'When we started, I was nervous and a bit scared but it pumped up my confidence and I didn't want to stop. I LOVED it! '