Welfare at Kings'

Imagine yourself walking up to centre court at Wimbledon. You are one point away from winning the final, raising the trophy and the hopes of a nation. However, it has been the toughest match of your life, your opponent has won the last 3 points and is set to come back. This could be the turning point of the match. You can feel the tension in the air, the sun is directly in your eyes and you have a bad habit of mistiming your serve when you are tense. Your heart is racing and your racquet hand is starting to shake. You’ve never been in this situation before. Imagine the thoughts that are going through your head. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just focus on the task at hand?

This situation is the perfect example of where the practice of Mindfulness can be helpful. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment on purpose and without judgement. With practice, it is a technique that can alter our

perceptions of a situation and allow us to respond skilfully rather than react as usual. Some sportspeople have found it helps raise performance and research has shown that it can help others cope better with daily stresses and lead happier, healthier lives.

Kings’ School is currently running a trial Mindfulness course for pupils based on the .b curriculum developed by the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MISP). More information on Mindfulness and the .b curriculum being taught can be found on the MISP website.

If you are interested in finding out more about our Mindfulness at Kings’ School please get in touch.