Delivering subject content through nine life themes
The contrast could not be more jarring: just weeks after Team GB won a total of 25 swimming medals at the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics (nine of which were gold), a report from Swim England is warning that 2,000 swimming pools in England could… Continue Reading “Why we need to invest in our local swimming pools”
Here’s what we know already: (i) there is a link between nutrition and physical health (ii) nutrition is particularly important for children’s growth and development (iii) many children do not have a good diet (iv) there is a growing crisis in children’s mental health.… Continue Reading “Researchers identify link between nutrition and mental health in children”
An article in the British Medical Journal this week warns that levels of eco-anxiety are on the rise, particularly among children and young people, and “are likely to be significant and potentially damaging to individuals and society”. Meanwhile, another recent report warns of the… Continue Reading “Getting involved with nature is a great way to deal with eco-anxiety”
The evidence of a mental health crisis, particularly affecting young people, continues to mount. A recent report from NHS Digital indicates that rates of probable mental disorders among 6- to 16-year-olds are now as high as one in six and have yet to come… Continue Reading “In praise of the young people aiming to spark a conversation around mental health”
“If we want children to be prepared for risk, we need to allow them to come into contact with risk.” So says Prof Rolf Schwarz of Karlsruhe University of Education in a recent newspaper article on how Germany is leading the way in an… Continue Reading “Adventurous play helps children learn resilience and how to assess risk”
The benefits of woodland visits
The Green Planet, the latest Sir David Attenborough-fronted natural history series on the BBC, has earned rave reviews — well, at least as far as the production and presentation are concerned. The visuals are (as ever) stunning and Sir David is a national treasure,… Continue Reading “Sir David shows that plants are just as interesting as animals”
The footballer (now football manager) Wayne Rooney is 36 years of age. He was playing in the Premiership when he was just 16. In a new documentary he has described his long-term struggle with mental health problems and how, not very long ago, it… Continue Reading “Raising our level of ambition to support young people’s mental health”
The Prince’s Trust has warned about the state of young people’s mental wellbeing, including low levels of confidence about the future and high levels of anxiety and feelings of burnout. It adds to a growing body of evidence about the lasting impact of the… Continue Reading “Prince’s Trust warns of downward spiral of anxiety and lack of confidence affecting young people”
New research indicates that nearly half of all girls may be disengaging from sport when they enter their teenage years. The Women in Sport charity calls them ‘the lost 43%’. It says that it is “deeply concerned by the number of girls who disengage… Continue Reading “New report warns of alarming decline in girls’ participation in sport as they reach puberty”