St Anthony’s School for Girls has launched a new mindfulness initiative to teach the pupils the importance of looking after their mental health and wellbeing.

The Golders Green school held a mindfulness week to welcome the new scheme in.

Staff lead daily sessions to focus on calming the mind and body through breathing and meditation.

The girls also began participating in circle time sessions which helped them to recognise the different emotions people face throughout their everyday lives and demonstrated how to change the way people respond to them.

As part of the personal, social, health and emotional (PSHE) programme at the school, mindfulness has been introduced as an important part of the curriculum.

It will teach the pupils to be aware of their thoughts, feelings, senses and surroundings at the present moment.

The activities planned will relax their minds as well as enhancing their attention skills and strengthening their ‘mental muscle’ in order to channel focus when it is needed.

Headteacher Laura Martin said: “Mindfulness week helped the girls to be aware of themselves. Bringing mindfulness into the school will help prepare and teach them coping mechanisms for their future school careers where they may feel extra pressure.

“We encourage the girls to take five minutes if they need to so they can feel calm, reflect and enjoy some quiet time.

“We want them to recognise when they feel stressed and might need some time to themselves. We think it is an important lesson which will help them manage life pressures better as they get older.”