On Thursday 3rd December a mindfulness session was held for all Year 11 students during their PSHEE lesson.

Dan Peppiatt, from North Devon Yoga Centre, was invited to speak to our Year 11 students specifically to help them deal with any stresses they may encounter with their upcoming GCSE exams. With fifteen years of experience as a school teacher, working in both primary and secondary education, he is familiar with the stresses and anxieties that face todays youngsters.

Whether it be pre-exam stress; the pressures of being socially accepted and needing to ‘fit in’ or a thousand other issues, young people, just as much as adults can obtain real benefits from mindfulness and meditation.

Dan explained in a digestible and understandable format, why they need to be mindful; what mindfulness is; simple mindfulness and meditation techniques; developing a home practice and how to stick to it; common distractions and how to avoid them; and how to use mindfulness during the day with their eyes open!

Mindfulness and meditation are simply logical tools and techniques that can help us to be happier, less stressed and more able to cope with life’s problems. In addition, recent American research suggests that they may actually improve test and exam results.