Year 8 pupils at a Bolton school have now become published authors after teaming up with a mental health business owner and nursery owner.
Julie Robinson – who runs Eagley School House Nurseries and Mini Minds Matter UK – was invited by Bolton St Catherine’s Academy to support and lead a day’s sessions for aspirations day.
Children put together a book called 2 Cool 4 School: A Guide to starting High School.
And they even created their own illustrations which were then brought to life digitally.
Julie said: “After a discussion, we wanted the children to have a sense of achievement.
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“We challenged the pupils to see how they could be creative and become aspiring authors.
“We devised to split the topics into different groups, looking at how they could be role models for young children.
“We focused on transitions from primary school to secondary school and gave the children the task of creating top tips and affirmations to support this.”
The book looks at positive self-help and top tips for starting school.
The pupils were excited to think that their work was going to be included in a book.
Rachael Lucas, headteacher at Bolton St Catherine’s Academy (BSCA) says that the pupils really “threw themselves” into the project and that it has been a “brilliant” collaboration.
She said: “We were really delighted with our students' engagement with this project.
“They really threw themselves into it.
“When the students saw their book, they were incredibly proud of what they had created.
“We really hope to do this again this year - the process not only helps out current BSCA students but will help our year 6 students as they transition into high school.
“It’s been a brilliant collaboration.
Julie is a qualified teacher with more than 25 years’ experience in education.
She set up Mini Minds Matter UK with Mandy Worsley in 2021 during Covid, after identifying an increased need to support pre-school aged children, parents, and carers.
Julie says that it was great to be able to illustrate the importance of a positive mindset and how you can achieve.
She said: “Children need to understand they too can have an impact on others.
“We know transitions to high school can be daunting.
“The children were able to reflect on their own experiences and look at what worried them, resulting in them then reassuring others that everything is okay once you actually begin the transition.
“We are passionate about supporting young people to thrive.”
Julie and her team have been invited back this year but are yet to decide on the topic.
This book will now serve as a toolkit for many other children and is available on Amazon.
The Mini Minds Matter approach is designed to change mindsets.
Their mental health and mindfulness programme are offered to schools and nurseries.
For more information click here ( www.minimindsmatter.org.uk).
If you have a story and something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at jasmine.jackson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @JournoJasmine.
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