Matt’s Minute: Summer holiday activities

I know that it feels like we’ve only just got back to ‘normal’ and now we’re preparing to finish the summer!

It’s certainly not be the summer break we expected. But there’s still plenty our learners can be doing to keep their brains active and take care of their mental health. Here are some suggestions:

You can learn something new every day!

  1. Go on a virtual day out

You don’t even need to step foot outside your front door to visit some of the world’s most famous attractions.

Explore Stonehenge, take a walk around the Natural History Museum or discover the world’s best art at the Guggenheim in New York, the Louvre in Paris or Tate Britain, London.

  1. Flick through a good book

Our libraries have a range of resources available online and are due to open again in mid-July. There are shelves and shelves of options that are all available for free!

If you thinking about extending your own bookshelf, but not sure where to start, here are some literary suggestions to get you started.

  1. BBC Bitesize

A wealth of new online learning resources are now available via the BBE website or BBC Bitesize app. Plus you’ve got David Attenborough teaching you geography. What more could you want?

Keep in touch

Starting a new school can be daunting at the best of times. Let alone starting somewhere new having not experienced regular lessons for five months. So we’ve sent some work and useful information out to our new Year 10s to prepare them for their new start at The Academy Grimsby. And our current Year 10s are able to keep in touch with us via Microsoft Teams on a daily basis, with enough work to keep learners busy, if they want.

If learners have any worries or concerns about September, they can email: [email protected] with any questions.

Protect your mental health

This year has been a difficult one for all of us. It’s been an anxious and stressful few months. When our learners – and teachers – return in September, we want them to feel refreshed, energised and ready to jump back in. So protecting their mental health is very important.

Here are some recommendations to help keep your mental health in check:

  1. Kooth is an online mental wellbeing community
  2. Headspace is another useful online resource that helps you breathe better and sleep more soundly
  3. The Academy Grimsby works with a range of local and national mental health support services that are here to help, including:
    • YMM Crisis Team (01472 525 570, [email protected])
    • Compass Mental Health Support (01472 494250)
    • The Academy Grimsby’s nurse service (07507 331 620)
    • Young Minds (text YM to 85258)
    • Child Line (0800 1111)
    • Samaritans (116 123)
  4. Switch off! The news can be overwhelming, so try and disconnect – go for a walk or listen to music

We’re here to help. Remember: you’re not alone.

On behalf of everyone at The Academy Grimsby, I hope you have a great summer and we look forward to welcoming our new and returning learners back in September!

  • Matt Holness, Deputy Principal

If you or your child is interested in attending The Academy Grimsby, Matt will be hosting personal social distanced tours of the campus every Wednesday from 4 – 6pm throughout the summer.

To book your place or to find out more information about The Academy Grimsby’s pathways and industry-leading facilities contact: [email protected] or call: 01472 311231.

02/07/2020