MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING
a long way from family and friends, can understandably feel overwhelming at first. Shared meals, activities and day-to-day House life bring pupils and House staff together, helping new pupils settle in and feel part of the school community.
Belonging can be built beyond the school gates too. Our pupils volunteer, support charities and take part in community service and mentoring. There is value in understanding the role they can play in others’ lives.
The importance of having opportunities to flourish
We should be as ambitious for young people academically as we are for them to become socially fulfilled, active and curious individuals. We are proud of our examination results, but they are only one measure of what a young person can achieve. Part of our job is to create opportunities for pupils to discover what interests them, where their strengths lie and what they might be capable of. In my experience, happy pupils are often those who have found something they enjoy and can see themselves making progress in. For some, that will be an academic subject. For others, confidence may first come through sport, music, drama or another interest, before carrying back into the classroom. They do not necessarily have to excel for the experience to matter - trying something new can help young people discover strengths they did not know they had.
We are fortunate at Loretto to have extensive sporting facilities, but what matters is what pupils do with them. One pupil may relish competition and want to represent the school at the highest level; our
September 2026
“A strong sense of belonging at school can support pupils’ academic and social development, as well as their overall wellbeing.”
U15 Hockey team and U16 rugby team both reached the Scottish Schools Shield Final earlier this year, and our Golf Academy has won 14 national titles. Another may simply want to play with friends and enjoy being active. I see value in both.
Time outdoors matters too. Our leafy 85- acre campus gives pupils space to explore, play and have adventures. Spending time in nature has been shown to support health and wellbeing in young people (The Institute for Outdoor Learning), while activities such as Forest School and outdoor education encourage problem-solving, independence and teamwork. Crucially, in testing themselves in different ways beyond the classroom, pupils can discover they are capable of more than they thought.
Preparing young people for life Nurturing mind, body and spirit is central to educating the whole child, but preparing young people to flourish also means equipping
them for life beyond school. By the time a young person leaves school, we want them to be able to think for themselves and feel ready for the world ahead.
Our Life Skills programme is another thread we weave into pupil development, giving them the knowledge and strategies they need as young adults. From financial awareness and preparation for interviews, the programme explores practical topics that matter and is designed to make the prospect of adult life a little less daunting.
Ultimately, educating the whole child means recognising that every part of a young person’s development is connected; growth in one area can carry into others. Young people do not develop in separate parts, and schools should not treat them that way. If we know them well, give them room to grow, help them find what brings out the best in them and give them practical tools to navigate adult life, we give them a better chance of leaving school ready for whatever the future holds.
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