IT’S the village school getting to grips with the brain.

Pupils at Braishfield Primary School aren’t afraid of using big words as part of their learning.

The youngsters have been getting their heads around how the mind works as part of a bid to learn about mental health.

 

Head teacher Lou Rhodes – who is now in her second year at the school – said: “It’s something that’s really relevant at the moment. We are seeing increasing numbers of children exhibiting issues around anxiety, and we know more about it. We are very good about teaching our children about their physical health but we also need to be teaching them about about how to look after themselves emotionally.”

 

The youngsters learn about “our amazing brain” – and even the youngest get used to using words like ‘pre-frontal cortex’, ‘amygdala’ and the ‘hippocampus’.

Ms Rhodes added that the very little ones “love to learn about technical things” – and the sessions give them an understanding of how chemicals in the brain affect emotions.

 

A team of ‘helping hands’ children offer support in the playground to others who need it, buddies are paired with younger children, and there is also a team of ‘antibullying ambassadors’.

 

A group of children have been chosen as ‘pupil voice’ and digital leaders help set up computers.

 

Last year’s KS2 results put Braishfield in Hampshire’s top ten primary schools.