This term, St Mary’s High School’s Wellbeing Club launched Wool & Wellness, a weekly lunchtime group open to both students and staff. What began as a simple idea — bringing people together through knitting and crafting — quickly became something truly special.

Meeting once a week, the club embraced four of the Five Ways to Wellbeing:

• Connect – building positive relationships across year groups.
• Learn – developing new creative skills, with complete beginners confidently picking up needles for the first time.
• Take Notice – slowing down, being present, and enjoying a mindful moment in a busy school day.
• Give – creating something meaningful for other children who need it.

Students and staff alike enjoyed the calm, supportive atmosphere. Beginners were warmly welcomed and discovered not only a new skill, but also the joy of contributing to a truly worthwhile cause.

Supporting Project Linus UK

The club has been proudly supporting Project Linus UK, a 100% volunteer-run, non-profit Community Interest Company.

The mission of Project Linus UK is simple but powerful: To provide love, warmth, comfort and a sense of security to babies, children and teenagers who are sick, disabled, disadvantaged or distressed.

They do this by donating new, homemade, washable quilts and blankets, lovingly created by volunteer knitters and quilters across the UK.

The charity supports children from premature birth up to 19 years old who may be seriously ill, traumatised, bereaved, abused, or facing significant challenges.

How It All Began

Project Linus began in the United States in 1995 and was inspired by Linus van Pelt, the security-blanket-carrying character from the comic strip Peanuts.

Project Linus UK was established in March 2000 and became a registered Community Interest Company in February 2013. Since then, it has continued to grow thanks entirely to volunteers and donations.

What Happens to the Blankets?

Every donated quilt or blanket is:

1. Carefully checked for quality and safety.
2. Labelled with a Project Linus tag.
3. Delivered to a baby, child or teenager “in need of a big hug” — to keep as their very own.

Our special blanket is photographed with just some of the students that contributed to this amazing project. The blanket has now been posted off and the Project Linus UK Area Coordinator for East & North Herts commented “Your blanket sounds lovely, thank you for all the hard work that you’ve put into it.”

Through Wool & Wellness, our school community is not only supporting wellbeing within our walls but also extending care far beyond them.

 

Year 11 students travelled to the Palace Theatre, Southend to see a production of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde as part of their GCSE English Literature revision.

Students were treated to the cast of six actors highlighting key characters, quotations, and themes from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Gothic thriller in an enjoyable and engaging evening.

 

From 9–15 February 2026, schools and communities across the UK marked Children’s Mental Health Week, a national annual campaign. The week shines a spotlight on the importance of young people’s mental wellbeing, encouraging open conversations about emotions, challenging stigma, and reminding every child that they are not alone. At its heart, the campaign empowers children to understand that their feelings matter — and that support is always available.

This year’s theme, “This is My Place,” invited children and young people to reflect on where they feel they truly belong. Whether that sense of belonging is found with friends and family, within school, through sport, faith, creativity or hobbies, the theme encouraged pupils to explore the connections that help them feel safe, valued and understood.

As always, St Mary’s CE High School embraced the campaign wholeheartedly. We focused on fostering a strong sense of belonging, identity and community across our school. Research consistently shows that when young people feel connected and secure, they are more likely to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Creating a culture of inclusion and care remains at the centre of our mission.

Supported by our dedicated Student Wellbeing Ambassadors, a whole-school activity brought students together in a celebration of individuality and shared experience. Students were invited to create their own “My Place” maps — thoughtful and creative pieces of artwork identifying the people, places and activities that help them feel comfortable, confident and supported.

Students also engaged with inspiring video resources created by artist Ricky Martin, best known to many as Art Ninja’s Art Ninja. His creative approach encouraged pupils to express themselves through art as a positive outlet for emotions and self-discovery.

It was wonderful to see students coming together to celebrate their uniqueness while recognising the shared need for belonging. The finished artwork beautifully reflected the diversity of our school community — each piece different, yet united by a common message: everyone deserves a place where they feel accepted and valued.

Children’s Mental Health Week serves as an important reminder that supporting mental wellbeing is not limited to one week in the year. At St Mary’s, we remain committed to nurturing an environment where every student feels heard, supported and proud to say, “This is my place.”

 

Our GCSE Drama students enjoyed an inspiring trip to see Stranger Things on Friday Sixth February 2026, where they proved themselves to be outstanding representatives of the school community. The production offered a wealth of material for the live theatre analysis component of the GCSE Component 3 written exam; showcasing an impressive range of techniques that included lighting, sound, projection and set design as well as the physical performance by a fabulous cast of actors. The stage adaptation linked seamlessly with the wider Stranger Things franchise, giving students a rich and engaging example of how a story can be reimagined for a new medium. Their enthusiasm, focus and exemplary behaviour made the visit both enjoyable and academically valuable.