RAPS Sleep Easy Challenge

Good quality sleep is vitally important to the wellbeing of young children.

And pupils at Ramsgate Arts Primary have been set a fun challenge to identify why sleep is so beneficial.

Following a special assembly to launch Sleep Easy, children explored what small but effective changes they can make to help them sleep better as well as activities they need to avoid right before bedtime, particularly using mobile phones, computers and tablets, and watching television.

Head of School Nick Budge said: “The well-being of the children is embedded into everything we do at RAPS, so with this in mind we began the first term of 2020 with the RAPS Sleep Easy Challenge.

“On average we spend one third of our lives asleep and good quality sleep is vital for growth, mental well-being and a healthy immune system.

“Children aged between 4-11 need around 10-12 hours’ sleep a night (adults need around 7-9 hours but as parents most of us can only dream of this).

“We are challenging the children to think about how much sleep they need, how much they have every night and asking is there anything they could do to improve the quality of their sleep.”

Pupils have been given their own sleep diaries to fill in over a three-week period to monitor their sleep arrangements. Completed diaries will be returned to school and entered into a prize draw where one child from KS1 and one from KS2 have the chance to win some sleep-themed goodies to help them continue to get a good night’s rest.

Rosie from Year 5 and George from year 4 are already filling in their diaries. They said:” It is a good idea to see what time we go to sleep and how long for. We have learnt that we must avoid certain things like watching television or playing on computers or tablets before going to bed as they are activities that can keep us awake. It is a fun thing to do.”

Teacher Victoria Elliott is co-ordinating the challenge. She said: “It has really caught the imagination of pupils of all ages and it will interesting to see their sleep diaries and compare the data they record as the initiative progresses.”

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is part of the Viking Academy Trust with Upton Junior School at Broadstairs and Chilton Primary School, Ramsgate.

*For more information, contact Mr Budge on 01843 582847, or email enquiries@ramsgateartsprimaryschool.co.uk