There is always room for a good idea!
Carl Sutherland, a Head Teacher in Gateshead Tyne and Wear reflects upon becoming a stormbreak Surge school in this academic year. Looking back at the decision made to take part in the programme, the partnership between school and stormbreak team and the journey that continues, Carl looks back on an exciting new chapter for the team at Dunston Hill Community Primary School.
“I was absolutely delighted to be informed that Dunston Hill had attained a place on the new stormbreak Surge* cohort in September. Whilst we already have strategies in place across the school to support children with the challenges they face every day, including mental health, my research into stormbreak highlighted significant, additional areas we could tap into, particularly around movement, fun and engagement.
Their five key mental health concepts: resilience, self-care, relationships, self-worth and hope and optimism resonate strongly with our whole school vision and ethos of “Care and Respect for All” and “Ready, Respect, Kind”.
We wanted something that we could embed as part of our practice, that would involve children and adults from Reception to Year 6 and that would become “just part of what we do” here at Dunston Hill. There are so many “quick-fixes” on offer in education; but we wanted a journey and a partnership.
So, what have we learned, or been reminded of, when we reflect on our first term and our plans for the future?
People are so important. They make things happen and make initiatives like this work!
Without the right people in place, fundamentally all we have is an idea, plan or structure. A set of instructions and some guidance. However, from the very beginning, the stormbreak team brought those ideas to life. They encouraged, inspired and enthused us and showed us how we could turn the theory into practice. It was vital that we as a school team mirrored those qualities and our school advocates did not disappoint. We have a wonderful staff team and our chosen advocates worked hard to introduce the stormbreak ethos into our school culture and began to embed it. They followed the guidance but also made it personal to our school. They were driven, enthusiastic and determined to demonstrate to children and staff the benefits of a stormbreak for our children. They had a sparkle and a dynamism about their work and involvement – and that is infectious! And they were positive and persevered. In our lives, I’m sure we have all been in a lesson, a lecture, or had an element of CPD that has perhaps left us a little flat or uninspired. That’s why we work so hard to ensure that we have the right people in place to inspire our children. We can’t wait to continue our journey with some whole-school training and begin to involve our Midday team.
Children need to be in a good place, mentally and physically, before they are in a position to learn.
I would argue that is true of us all and has been brought into even sharper focus over the past few years. It is not enough to be a “good subject/class teacher”. We all need extra tools in our box whether they be to help our children self-regulate or be able to support them in working through their own, particular “storm”. Stormbreak has given us those tools and the children at Dunston Hill are flourishing. Whether a small group or whole-class, stormbreaks give the children the opportunity to move, re-focus, pause and think. Then, we can all get back to our learning. Stormbreaks help to demonstrate how having fun, engaging and working together at the same time can make outcomes even more impactful and powerful?
There is always room for a good idea!
It would have been easy as a school perhaps, not to bring stormbreak into our school. As I have said, we already have several strategies in place in school to support children with their mental health. But in education, as with life, it is dangerous to stand still and not explore new options and opportunities. Stormbreak has given us renewed energy and a dynamic that is becoming evident across school into spring term 2025. As I walk around school I am often able to see a stormbreak happening in a classroom or outside and the other day I even joined in as one was taking place in our corridor! I am confident that with continued focus, as well as support from the stormbreak team, we will see our children becoming more resilient and able to help themselves and others through the school day, which will lead to improved educational outcomes and, more importantly, happy children.
Carl Sutherland
Headteacher at Dunston Hill Community Primary School
*Surge- our dedicated primary schools training programme. Find more about Surge here.
