Anti-Bullying Week took place last week (November 15-19th) with this year’s theme of ‘One Kind Word.’

Kindness is more important today than it has ever been. The isolation of the last year has underlined how little acts of consideration can break down barriers and brighten the lives of the people around us. This is one of the reasons, that ‘One Kind Word’ has been chosen as the theme of Anti-Bullying Week. Saturday 13th November was also World Kindness Day so it has never been more relevant!

Our newly appointed Year 9 Wellbeing Leads spoke about the importance of kindness at assembly. Each focused on their own ‘one kind word’ – Natasha (understanding), Lily (accepting), Olivia (grateful), Samara (supportive), Abi (respectful) and Alice (selfless). 

The Leads then asked each form group to come up with their own ‘one kind word’ and write this in the centre of a balloon, to be decorated in bright colours together with a short explanation of why they chose that word. All the balloons were then brought together to make a fantastic display in the atrium! 

The GDST and the Junior School got involved too. Our Junior School girls kicked off the week with an impressive array of odd socks which they wore for ‘Odd Socks Day.’ Our Juniors also explored the impact that ‘one kind word’ can have on others and celebrating our differences in assembly and PSHCE lessons throughout the week.

To mark World Kindness Day, and with a nod to children’s book ‘The World Awaits’ by Tomas Roberts, GDST students each sent one kind word into the world, in the hope of sparking a chain reaction of positive feelings and good deeds that will brighten people’s day, even beyond our community. Our Junior School girls worked in multi-age pairs in their ‘House Huddles’ to write a kind word. Every class created a balloon with ways they can be positive or work towards their potential on them.

The Year 9 Wellbeing leads will also be working towards Children’s Mental Health Week next which is from 7-13th February 2022.