This Is My Place: BSN Celebrates Children's Mental Health Week

Just before half-term, learners across each of our Junior School (Junior School Leidschenveen, Junior School Vlaskamp) and Senior School (Senior School Leidschenveen, Senior School Voorschoten) celebrated Children’s Mental Health Week – marking the fifth time celebrating as a cross-campus event.

Children’s Mental Health Week, an initiative of UK children’s mental health charity Place2be, aims to get young learners thinking about and reflecting on the importance of mental health. A different theme each year, this year’s was ‘This is my place’, which is “based around belonging and how we can feel and help others feel like they belong”.

We know that our sense of belonging as individuals, in our friendships, in school, and in communities plays a vital role in our mental health and wellbeing.

To know our place and really feel part of our environment is a basic human need. It can have powerful and long-lasting impacts in lots of areas of our lives, including our physical and mental health, education, employment and relationships. When we feel that we belong, it empowers us to contribute to the world and make a real difference.” – Place2Be

What Does Belonging Mean To You?

Each class at Junior School Leidschenveen explored this year’s theme by reflecting on what belonging means at home, at school, with friends and within themselves. Through thoughtful discussions and classroom activities, learners considered how we can nurture our own sense of belonging and help others to feel accepted, cared for and valued.

The week went out with a bang with a fun dress-up day, with learners requested to ‘come as yourself’. There were some wonderfully unique combinations – from traditional dress to favourite colours. It was fantastic to see the self-expression and creativity in everyone’s outfits!

Additionally, the children’s reflections of the week were made into a beautiful display for the whole JSL community to view, celebrating the many ways our community helps every child feel they truly belong.

Building Community Together

Our Senior School Leidschenveen Year 12 Communications Ambassadors took the lead and organised fun, interactive activities for their peers for every day of the week. These included a form door decorating competition – a visual representation of where and with whom learners feel they belong, a Valentine’s Day themed lolly sale (along with an opportunity to add a note for someone special!) with all proceeds going to the charity UNICEF, a badminton competition to celebrate belonging and teamwork, followed by a meet-and-greet – over hot chocolate! – with the Student Wellbeing Ambassadors to round off the week.

We were impressed by our Ambassadors’ leadership, initiative and creativity – making it a memorable week for our SSL learners and giving them the opportunity to reflect on the theme of belonging.

Finding Our Place

At Junior School Vlaskamp, the week kicked off early, with two mental health and wellbeing-themed assemblies to introduce and explore the theme of the week ahead. Additionally, learners across all year groups were given a reflective homework task to help them think about what belonging means to them.

A highlight was Dress to Express Day, which filled the school with colour and personality as learners arrived in outfits that showed a little of who they are. Learners also enjoyed capturing photos and short clips of the places around school where they feel most at home.

Lunchtime activities included hide-and-seek, writing and posting ‘kindness letters’ for each other, and making pipe-cleaner flowers, amongst others – all aimed at collaboration and bringing the JSV community together. At the end of the week, each learner added their own touch to a beautiful collaborative artwork created in their Learner Led Conferences – a wonderful, lasting reminder of the week!

Small Actions, Big Impact

At Senior School Voorschoten, the Year 12 Wellbeing Ambassadors led a range of initiatives to mark Children’s Mental Health Week. These included tutor time activities, such as each decorating their own letters to form a whole‑school Children's Mental Health Week display, and taking part in a challenge to 'spell out' BSN using only their arms and legs.

A key focus this year was supporting the hospice Xenia House in Leiden. Students each contributed to a reflective Post‑it wall centred on the theme “Never forget the difference you make”, ahead of a charity non‑uniform day featuring a bake sale, raffle and other lunchtime activities to raise funds for the hospice.

Wellbeing At The Heart Of The BSN

Children’s Mental Health Week at the BSN is made possible thanks to the dedication of our whole school community – our teaching and support staff, alongside our cross‑campus Wellbeing Team, Health and Wellbeing Coordinators, and our enthusiastic Student Wellbeing Ambassadors, all play an essential role in bringing the week to life.

While this week shines a spotlight on mental health, it is far from a stand‑alone initiative. Wellbeing is embedded in daily school life at the BSN, through our curriculum, pastoral systems, and the relationships we build with our students.

We’re grateful to everyone who helped make it such a meaningful week!