I especially valued a session on the Human Flourishing Program, which has its origins at Harvard University. It is an evidence-based programme, which is accompanied by a Parenting for Flourishing Families initiative. Flourishing is defined as including happiness and life satisfaction, physical and mental health, a sense of meaning and purpose, close relationships, and good character and virtue.

These qualities are no doubt important in all our lives, but the Human Flourishing Program has now carried out research on the impact of certain practices to promote pupil wellbeing in schools across 70 countries. The practices are:

• Initiatives which foster close social relationships. We know how important the teacher-pupil relationship is, not only to support wellbeing but also to engender academic progress. Mentoring, such as our Student Support scheme and the work of our prefects, has also been shown to have real impact on younger pupils’ self-esteem.
• Character skill interventions and programmes. Apart from courses such as our Life Education and the Year 12 Ivy House Leadership Award, daily gratitude journals and random acts of kindness are said to lead to increased optimism, a sense of belonging and delayed gratification.
• Physical activity. The importance of happy participation in sport as well as active learning in the classroom support not only physical but also mental health.
• Learning activities that cultivate meaning and purpose. Self-reflection and self-evaluation can help young people to formulate meaningful goals and to consider how they are influenced by positive personal values.
• Music and arts. Pupils who participate in the arts together not only enjoy the relaxation and spiritual nourishment, but also see improvements in peer relationships. We can see this currently with our Lower School Singers, and in House Drama, where our youngest pupils are directed by our Sixth Formers.
• Service and volunteering. Those of us who have done voluntary work will understand that we very often gain more than we give through the experience. Hence the hugely beneficial power of some of our outreach initiatives and the Duke of Edinburgh service section. Participants develop social skills and enjoy improved attitudes towards themselves and others as they contribute to a fairer and more caring society.
• Playfulness and humour. Time to interact with their peers, to play together and to benefit from humour in their learning has also been demonstrated to boost academic performance.
• Connecting with nature. We are very fortunate to benefit from a beautiful, rural setting, where pupils can appreciate nature, enjoying too their Duke of Edinburgh expeditions and field courses in stunning countryside.

We know that so many of these things are good for our children, so it was gratifying to hear about research which actually validated such approaches. Public exams give grades for academic performance, but I am sure that we would also like our children to emerge from education as fulfilled and generous human beings, with an A* for character.

Best wishes,

John Watson
Headmaster and Principal