Wells Hall Primary School
“Relationships between children and teachers has been enhanced”
Wells Hall Primary School
Fact File
Where we’re based: Sudbury, Suffolk, England
School Roll: 420
Month/Year we started The Daily Mile: March, 2018
Our Daily Mile Story
Wells Hall Primary School have been doing The Daily Mile for over 18 months now! All 420 students, including nursery, run The Daily Mile either around the school field or on the playground if the weather is particularly bad.
Our experience with The Daily Mile has been really positive. The children look forward to it as well as the teachers and what works really well is the flexibility to do it when the children need it. This has shown as a great ‘brain break’ and children, in general, are refreshed ready to either carry on with their learning or move onto the next lesson.
The children’s concentration levels are also much better once they’ve taken part in The Daily Mile. We’ve seen a definite improvement in the children’s focus and some cases of positive behaviour change.
The teacher’s mental health is also improved and The Daily Mile has definitely created a greater rapport and interaction between some children and their teachers as we use the opportunity to show the children our human side. As such, relationships between children and teachers has been enhanced as a result of The Daily Mile. It also gives us a chance to catch up with ‘quieter’ children who seem keen to chat outside the classroom.
Children are starting to enjoy recording their progress and the repetitive theme of the benefits of fresh air and exercise seem to be understood easier by the children when we talk about it during The Daily Mile. We also have a leader board up now which is popular and the kids are always keen to put their results up.
The Daily Mile is contributing towards forming good habits and we’ve encouraged a healthy selfie board with pictures of physical activity that the children and/or their families are doing outside of school.
When we began The Daily Mile there were a few initial queries from parents about why the children weren’t doing it in their PE kits, but on the whole everyone has embraced it positively.
Quotes
“The Daily Mile happily sits outside the curriculum and as such we do not feel it is necessary to construct artificial links to other subjects or themes. Where it is relevant we have highlighted this, such as in science and PE lessons where pupils learn about health and fitness. During the run up to the 2016 Olympics we did set a “Road to Rio” challenge and we do periodically add in fresh challenges to keep pupils motivated. During the summer term this year they are aiming to complete a marathon or ultra marathon by recording their laps daily. However we want The Daily Mile to become part of their daily routine (a habit) and so is not directly linked to any one subject or topic.”
Jim Cleaver – Head Teacher
“The Daily Mile is great for catching up with the quiet ones who seem keen to chat outside the classroom. They enjoy the fresh air and it helps them to refocus. It gives a pause to enable a quick plenary to check understanding.”
Year 3 Teacher
“Merlin’s love The Daily Mile, they are a class that needs a break in the long 2 hour 15 minute afternoon session. I also love the break from being in the classroom and it gives me the chance to chat to the class as we go round or it gives those that want a break from me that chance of some breathing space. On the whole, behaviour has improved and much fewer incidents now occur in the class. Please don’t get rid of it!”
Year 6 Teacher
“I can talk to the teacher on these runs and ask for help if I’m stuck without the whole class listening.”
Finnan, Year 4
“It breaks up my afternoon so I’m not stuck in class bored! I can go and run out my anger of written work.”
Josh, Year 5
