5 February 2021
Deputy Principal Welcome to 2021 (Secondary)
Welcome to 2021! I hope your son had a restful break and is adjusting…
Welcome to 2021!
I hope your son had a restful break and is adjusting to the new routine. I extend a particularly warm welcome to all of the new students and families. As an old scholar, I can attest to the wonderful journey and lifelong friendships that awaits you, so I hope you are settling in well. Don’t hesitate to reach out to your home group teacher if you need some extra support in this process, and they can point you in the right direction.
We know that boys crave routine, despite not always acknowledging this! The long Christmas break often knocks a teenager out of their productive routine of study and co-curricular activities, and it can be difficult to adjust back to normality once school begins. One simple tip that can have a big impact is having a set bedtime with at least 8-10 hours sleep. Eating a balanced diet, family engagement and finding time for regular exercise are also helpful in promoting positive thinking and overall wellbeing.
Excessive gaming may have also crept in over the break and this can be problematic to resolve, given that many games are created with the same partial reinforcement effect that we see in traditional gambling. This is of ongoing and growing concern to us at school, but we also have plenty of tools and support available for students who may be struggling to break the gaming habit and get back into a healthy schooltime routine. As above, if you are concerned about your son’s gaming or any other wellbeing issues, please contact your son’s home group teacher in the first instance. They can direct you to the right course of action. Don’t forget to keep an eye on our Events page for all upcoming school activities, and stay tuned on SEQTA and our social media channels for any other important information throughout the year.
A thriving young man is engaged in life, challenged to try new things and has a sense of purpose and internal happiness. These are the qualities we are striving to foster in our young men this year. This is, as always, underpinned by our Catholic tradition which stems from the Good News of Jesus Christ. Together, we are called to live with faith, integrity and hope and we strive to fulfil this mission through all Four Pillars this year. We look forward to working in partnership with Blackfriars families for a successful year of learning and growing together.
