Warbler, Issue 12 February 2019

Welcome
The first half term of this calendar year has thrown us some interesting weather
for the time of year and it has been wonderful to see so many of our students
availing themselves of food and refreshments from our new outdoor food pod and
being able to enjoy consuming it in the sunshine. The pod is only one aspect of the
improvements we have made to our catering provision. Thank you to all our parents,
carers and students who continue to manage our cashless system so effectively and
to our students for supporting the new menus and systems we have put in place. We
will continue to develop this element of our provision as we have s strong belief in the
value of healthy eating during a social lunchtime. Several research studies have shown a strong correlation between
social interaction over food and health and well-being. Put simply, sharing mealtimes is good for your mental health.
Whether it be through sharing experiences with family and friends, winding down in company or just having someone
to talk to, mealtimes provide an opportunity to set aside a specific time of the day to socialise, relax and improve our
mental health. There are three key areas in which the provision of time to eat healthily, relax and share the experience
together can have a beneficial impact:
Psychological - Regular mealtimes which are shared provide a sense of rhythm and regularity in people’s lives.
They offer a sense of containment and familiarity, and can evoke deep feelings of contentment and security. Humans
need structure and routine. Mealtimes offer people the opportunity to stop, to stand still psychologically, to reflect
on their day and days ahead, and to listen to and interact with others. Mealtimes are also a grounding opportunity, a
time when anxieties can be expressed and you can be listened to.
Social - Sharing meals helps to develop social skills in children. Children learn from behaviour modelled by parents,
older siblings, teachers and peers. Mealtimes provide an opportunity where children and adolescents can learn to
listen and learn how to interact in conversation. The ritual of the shared meal continuously reinforces individual
identity. Qualities such as empathy and understanding can be developed as views and perspectives other than one’s
own can be discussed. Importantly, shared mealtimes make people feel connected to others.
Biological - Regular mealtimes are good biologically. They provide rhythm and make us stop and focus on eating in
upright chairs which improves digestion. The act of talking and listening also slows down the eating process. Healthy
eating is more likely to take place in sociable environments where people may come into contact with a healthier
group ethos. It has been proven that eating meals with others enhances dietary variety and nutrient intake.
I should point out that the main impetus for the changes to our catering provision has been our student body. Our
Junior Leadership Team worked tirelessly to obtain feedback and the student voice they collected was instrumental in
brokering a new contract with our catering providers. They went to visit other schools, researched possible solutions
and shared the hard task of taste-testing the goods! I would like to thank them for their efforts (particularly with
the range of cakes!) and congratulate them on the difference they have made to this important aspect of life at The
Wilnecote School.
Music Department
Here in the Music Department students in both Years 9 and 10 who started their GCSE journey in September, are
busy preparing themselves for their first Live Lounge concert at the end of term. Performance is a large part of the
GCSE music syllabus so students need as much practice as possible performing in front of an audience. Many of
our students are already regular performers in concerts and productions but not all, so to help with this and to offer
opportunities to gain confidence with performance techniques various Live Lounge concerts will be held over the
year. Parents of students taking GCSE music have been offered the chance to make up a small audience enabling
students to perform their pieces and share their progress on the course so far.
Again this year the number of students taking part in extra-curricular music tuition has increased, particular favourites
include Guitar and Vocal lessons.
It’s never too late for students to learn an instrument and The Wilnecote School is in the privileged position to be
able to offer lessons on all orchestral instruments – Brass, Woodwind, Percussion and Strings, in addition keyboard,
guitar and vocal lessons are still available. If you would like more information on the instrument lessons we offer as
well as details of the costs involved please see the music section on the school website or contact Mr Hyden, Head
of Music.