Page 14 - Education Supplement February 2025

BEYOND ACADEMICS: THE IMPACT OF WELLNESS

IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL CURRICULUM

At Brescia House School,
incorporating wellness into the
primary school curriculum provides
students with a foundation that
supports their academic success,
social development, and lifelong well-
being. By fostering healthy habits,
emotional resilience, and essential life
skills, we empower our students to
thrive inside and outside the
classroom.
Above: Teaching children about balanced meals Above: Holistic education nurtures
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY boosts their energy, focus, and health. compassionate, well-rounded individuals.

Physical activity has proven to be a NUTRITION MINDFULNESS
powerful tool for enhancing focus,
mood, and learning outcomes. Regular Teaching children the importance of By embedding mindfulness practices,
exercise increases blood flow to the nutrition is just as crucial, as it impacts Brescia House School empowers
brain, improving memory and not only cognitive performance but students to navigate their emotions and
cognitive function. For young children overall health. Students who understand constructively reduce stress. Art is a
particularly, frequent movement how food choices impact their bodies, powerful tool for promoting mindfulness
breaks and structured physical can make healthier decisions. The Grade in children. Activities like Zentangles or
education classes help maintain 6 girls participated in a ‘Rainbow Colours’ doodling help them immerse in the
energy levels and attention span workshop that focused on fruit and process, often leading to a state of flow
throughout the day. At Brescia House vegetables, and how these food groups and quiet concentration. These artistic
School, the regular Physical Education provide essential micronutrients. Using practices not only enhance creativity
lessons help improve cardiovascular what they learnt, the girls made ‘magic and fine motor skills but also provide a
fitness, strengthens muscles, and fruit wands’ comprising different fruit and valuable outlet for self-expression and
boosts energy levels. Apart from the vegetables they selected. emotional regulation, promoting a sense
physical benefits, these lessons also of well-being and inner peace.
teach teamwork, discipline, and LIFE SKILLS Teaching resilience, communication, and
problem-solving, creating a balanced community involvement, prepares
approach to wellness that nurtures Life skills such as resilience, relationship- students to deal with challenges, work
both body and mind. A zumba session building, teamwork, and community effectively in teams, and build healthy
got the girls – and teachers – dancing contributions, are fundamental skills that relationships. By embedding wellness
to popular music, showing the further prepare students for a well- into the curriculum, Brescia House
students that exercise can be fun, rounded, balanced life. The pressures School gives students the tools to lead
social and interactive. Zumba (image faced by today’s students are balanced and fulfilling lives.
below) not only gets the blood flow multifaceted, combining social, academic,
going but also stimulates coordination and emotional challenges that can lead to
and enhances mood. stress and anxiety. We need to teach Contributors:
children to recognise and manage their H Bishop: Head of Marketing and
emotions and equip them with strategies Admissions;
J Thompson: Deputy Head; Primary School
to reduce anxiety and help them cope
with stress more effectively. The Brescia Brescia House School is an independent,
House School assemblies are used to Catholic Girls’ School in the heart of
raise awareness about common mental Bryanston. For information:
health challenges, reduce stigmas, and www.brescia.co.za
provide students with practical methods admissions@brescia.co.za
to manage stress. By learning coping
strategies, stress management
techniques, and the importance of sleep
and exercise, students are better
equipped to handle academic pressures
and personal challenges.
Co

Grade 000 - 12 admissions@brescia.co.za