Your health and wellbeing are arguably the most important things in your life. They impact on how life feels every day, on your ability to navigate life’s challenges and on the capacity you have to realise your dreams. Health deprivation has been a persistent barrier to success at school for children living in east London for many years. The global pandemic has had a significant impact on both the physical and mental health of children and families in our school communities.
Local context post Covid-19
Mission
Our mission is to promote social equality and give the children and families we serve equal opportunities in life and choices about their future. Health inequality is a very real barrier to a happy and successful life for families living in East London. Research tells us that the further east on the Central Line you are born and live, the lower your life expectancy.
Vision
Our vision is a set of promises we make to every child in every school in our trust. Our vision is that every child:
- Loves learning, achieves their very best, has fun at school and feels excited about the future
- Knows how to make friends and get along well with people; to treat them with fairness, compassion and respect
- Grows healthy and strong, believes in themselves and has the confidence and resilience to follow their dreams
- Feels part of their community, proud of their school and inspired to make a positive difference in the world
Our third promise relates directly to health and wellbeing.
Values
Our Trust values determine how we work together:
- Aspiration: aiming high; broadening horizons; creating possibilities
- Innovation: taking risks; daring to be different; pioneering research; shaping the future; leading the way
- Equality: inclusive; excellence for all; celebrating diversity; equity; all for one and one for all!
- Generosity: open doors; collaboration; challenge and support; community-minded; team spirit; Ubuntu
We will never be able to fully live out our equality value unless we are working towards health equality for all.
A healthy school
At Bygrove, we understand that learning how to look after our bodies & minds is one of the most important things we can do at primary school. We have:
- Achieved & maintained Healthy School status since 2003 & Advanced Healthy Schools status since 2012
- A breakfast club supported by Magic Breakfast, providing wholesome food for pupils and many staff
- In class breakfast for those who may not have eaten before arriving at school
- A range of fruit daily for pupils as well as milk & water. The school provides fruit for all pupils supplied by our local market
- Actively promoted physical activity during break times; lunchtime sessions of tennis, rounders, large ball hockey, skipping, etc & training for midday supervisors in supporting games in the playground
- A variety of extracurricular clubs that focus on health & wellbeing: healthy cooking, football, tennis, basketball, singing, art & Clubhouse
- 2 hours of PE a week in which football, netball, cricket, rounders, hockey, dance & gymnastics are rotated on a termly basis; Years 3,4 & 5 swimming lessons & a range of after school sports clubs
- 2 qualified Emotional Literacy Support Assistants who work with children to develop their emotional literacy, confidence & resilience
