In September 2021, Holmewood House launched the bespoke programme, My Heart My Mind My World to benefit pupils from Nursery to Year 8. The curriculum supports pupils to develop their learning behaviours to access the wider curriculum and succeed in life. Pupils have the opportunity to learn about vital life skills such as how to manage and resolve conflict from as young as Pre-Nursery, where the curriculum begins.
From Pre-Prep into the Lower School, children develop their ability to ‘listen with heart’ to each other, their capacity for compassionate action and their understanding of themselves and others. Our Upper School pupils benefit from sessions exploring how their brains work to develop their understanding of the approaches which might best support their learning. Teaching My Heart, My Mind, My World fosters positive mental health at every stage of the Holmewood journey. Pupils learn to understand their own mental health, the neurodiversity of our community and the way in which they interact with each other. Our aim is to ensure every Holmewoodian is equipped with the skills they need to get the very most out of their learning at HH and in life beyond. Pupils thoroughly enjoy the taught elements of the programme and report that, ‘I think the lessons provide a safe space to share your feelings about sensitive topics’ – Charlie and, ‘My Heart is really interesting and helps us better understand the world around us’ – Milo.
More than a teaching curriculum, this approach brings our Holmewood values of Aspiration, Self-Belief and Kindness to every aspect of the school day. It is hard to put into words just how much this approach is at the heart of our school community, but one parent recently summed it up brilliantly when she said, ‘It is incredible to hear how these important values are gently woven into the fabric of the learning experiences right from word go! Not just contributing to the academics but underpinning the learning approach so critical at these early stages’.
