I’m writing at the end of a wonderful week, one which started with some unseasonable but welcome sunshine, allowing us to spend time outside in our fantastic grounds and also included a day which saw us all – pupils and staff – devote a day to our wellbeing. Sheep, goats, guinea pigs and a pony arrived at our Junior School, we welcomed special guests from a local care home for afternoon tea, we went on dog walks (my Labrador, Lottie, went home exhausted!), played rounders, created autumnal wreaths, meditated and danced (not at the same time).  

It was probably our most ambitiously filled timetable of the year and there were plenty of different activities for pupils to take part in. I believe it’s so important, particularly in a school where pupils excel academically, to make sure that we role model and encourage the importance of wellbeing and balance, and that we all dedicate time to the things that give us joy and boost our mood. Our Wellbeing Day was a wonderful way to remind everyone of the difference this can make. 

At a recent assembly I spoke to pupils about the importance of wellbeing and laughter. There is a huge amount of evidence that babies, toddlers and children laugh very readily, multiple times a day. Babies learn to laugh as one of the earliest forms of communication, but as we get older and as life gets more serious, we tend to laugh less.  

The origin of laughter is interesting (here comes the science bit!). A joyous fact about laughing is that it really is contagious – hence why they use ‘canned’ laughter in sitcoms. Being around friends who are laughing can make you laugh, too, and can lift your mood. We are also 30 times more likely to laugh in a group. A study found that children between the ages of 2.5 and 4 were eight times more likely to laugh at a cartoon when they watched it with another child. Simply being with someone else and hearing their laughter can spark some personal joy. 

Of course, one of the reasons why laughter is so good for our mental health is that it has some very positive effects on the body. It has been proven to reduce the levels of hormones associated with stress, and can alter dopamine and serotonin activity, low levels of which are associated with depression. Conversely, laughter releases endorphins, which are our ‘feel good’ hormones.  

I am a big believer that children and young people achieve more when they are happy and so my hope is that every day at LEH gives our pupils and staff the opportunity to experience some form of joy and laughter. I’m really pleased everyone at LEH had the chance to take time out for their wellbeing this week, and I hope we’ve all been reminded of the importance of happiness – it really is key to our success. 

By Mrs Cole - Head Mistress of LEH School