16 September 2022
As we move toward the end of a term that has included many highlights, including 3 Way Conferences, we should all take a moment to connect with ourselves and how we feel – both physically and emotionally.
The wonderful experiences that our students experience require them to have sufficient energy to make the most of what is in front of them. For students to be the most effective learners that they can be, it is vital that they get enough sleep; yet, not all students are getting enough sleep, and the effect of this can be detrimental.
Sleep is an important time for learning and consolidating memories. This is illuminated through many studies that show our cognitive well-being is affected by sleep and those students who perform at the highest academic levels are those that sleep an appropriate amount every night. This is a vicious cycle due to the fact that those students who do not get enough sleep are less attentive at school and cannot focus on learning as effectively, but also have less time sleeping where the brain consolidates the daily stimuli. It is worth considering that Australia’s Sleep Health Foundation recommends that children aged 6-13 years-old have 9-11 hours sleep a night. Sleep has also been shown to influence behaviour; those who have less sleep are more inclined to be cranky, make rash decisions, and find it harder to get on with their peers.
As we move towards the end of this term, it is important that we support children in getting enough sleep, which in turn supports their learning and behaviour. I would like to recommend SchoolTV as a reference point as it has a range or resources and information to refer to regarding the importance of sleep.
I am looking forward to final two weeks of term that are full of exciting events and learning experiences.
Jon Gelsthorpe
Deputy Head of Junior School – Teaching and Learning