Derry primary school pupils benefit from mindfulness

A study by Northern Ireland’s mental health charity AWARE NI into the benefits of mindfulness reveals 76% of teachers reported positive behavioural change in primary school pupils.

Teachers observed calmer and more relaxed pupils, better concentration and focus and pupils openly talking about their emotions following a programme designed for 7-11-year-olds.

Pupils self-reported changes in their capacity to self-regulate and apply their learnings to different contexts.

They ranked ‘growing happiness’ and ‘concentrating’ joint first on 81% as being most supportive of their knowledge of mindfulness techniques. 76% said they know what to do when ‘worrying, feeling sad or angry’.

Over three-quarters of pupils (76%) would apply finger breathing, a technique to induce deep relaxation and counting the breath (72%) as tools they would use in their lives when feeling the need to be calm.

During the ‘Paws b’ programme, pupils recorded practising mindfulness techniques at home, with 35% doing most or all of them and 51% saying they used some. 89% of pupils said they would use mindfulness practices again after the programme had ended.

Marina McCully, Head of Education and Training at AWARE NI, said: “The Paws b mindfulness programme that AWARE delivers teaches children simple, everyday techniques and tools they can use both at home and in school.

"These tools help form a foundation for recognising and managing difficult emotions and improving concentration and focus.
 
“Early prevention programmes like this can have a really positive impact on a child’s mental health. The earlier children learn to recognise and regulate their emotions, the better chance they have for a happier and healthier future.”

Gareth Blackery, Principal at St Paul’s Primary School in Derry said: “The Paws b programme has been a valuable learning for our school.

"Our teachers have witnessed the change in pupils from the first to the final session. As a result, the class can settle down more quickly and focus their attention using the tools they learned.

"This is significant compared to the levels of distraction before the Paws b programme was implemented.

"The children now have a suite of tools in their toolbox to draw from when they need to regulate their stress, anger and anxiety. 

"These will undoubtedly help them now and in the future."

Marina McCully, AWARE NI

The study analysed the responses of 1039 pupils and 61 teachers from 51 primary schools across all the education authority areas in Northern Ireland.

Developed by the Mindfulness in Schools Project and delivered by AWARE NI, the programme consists of twelve components delivered across six weeks aimed at equipping children with a distinct mindfulness skill they can use when feeling stressed, anxious or worried.

To date, AWARE has delivered Paws b to one-fifth of all primary schools in Northern Ireland, but the charity is keen to broaden this reach and see mindfulness practice embedded in the culture of schools across the country.

For more information about the Paws b programme for your school, email training@aware-ni.org