Girls Group Pilot
- Take part in fun, activity-based sessions
- Have opportunities to build confidence and friendships
- Talk about any worries or concerns in a safe and supportive environment
- Learn strategies to help manage anxiety and prepare for the move to secondary school
Across the eight sessions, children will take part in a range of enjoyable activities, including cake making, pottery, and jewellery making. Snacks and drinks will be available.
The programme will begin with an initial session on Thursday 9th July, followed by weekly sessions starting on Thursday 23rd July for seven weeks. The final session will take place on Thursday 3rd September.
Week 1
The first week of Girls Group was a fantastic opportunity for the girls to meet one another, build relationships and begin to feel comfortable within the group.
At the beginning of the session, the girls were gifted a selection of stationery, including pens, highlighters, sticky notes and notepads. As an icebreaker activity, I asked each of them to write down a funny joke or memory that came to mind and then share it with the rest of the group. I felt this would be a good way to encourage conversation and help the girls get to know one another, particularly as, although they all attend the same school, they are not necessarily part of the same friendship groups.
The girls chose to share funny stories and memories from things that had happened to them. They were all very willing to participate and confidently shared their stories with the group, which resulted in plenty of laughter and some very funny moments!
We then moved on to some fun and energetic games, including musical statues and musical chairs. Some of the girls also decided to have a race in the hall where the group takes place. They were extremely enthusiastic, with many of them showing just how fast—and competitive—they could be!
Overall, it was a fantastic first session. It was lovely to see the girls gradually become more comfortable and relaxed with one another as the session progressed. In particular, I felt that the willingness of every girl to share her funny story with the group demonstrated a growing sense of confidence and trust. Sharing personal experiences with peers of the same age can take a lot of courage, particularly during an initial session, so it was really positive to see how confidently they participated.
The session provided a strong foundation for the group, and it was encouraging to see the girls beginning to form connections, enjoy themselves and feel that Girls Group is a safe and welcoming space.
Week 2
During this session, the girls had the opportunity to showcase their artistic and creative sides by designing and creating a character of their choice. We had a fantastic variety of creations, including Disney characters, fictional characters and even a food item! It was lovely to see the girls use their imagination and think creatively about what they wanted to create.
The activity was thoroughly enjoyed by the group and encouraged the girls to express themselves in a fun and relaxed environment. It was also a great opportunity to see their individual personalities and interests come through in their artwork.
Throughout the session, we also spent time talking about holidays and upcoming plans. Some of the girls had recently been away, while others had exciting holidays to look forward to. One girl shared that she would be visiting the Isle of Wight before travelling to Disneyland Paris to take part in a dance competition. It was lovely to hear her excitement as she talked about what she had planned, and it sounds like she has a very exciting few weeks ahead!
Once again, the girls provided lovely feedback at the end of the session, sharing how much they had enjoyed attending Girls Group. It was wonderful to continue building positive relationships with them, listening to their stories and learning more about what is happening in their lives.
As the girls prepare to start their new chapter in high school, it has been particularly rewarding to see their confidence continue to grow throughout the sessions. The group is becoming a positive space where they can be themselves, share experiences, be creative and enjoy spending time together.
Week 3
This week’s session was filled with creativity, conversation and plenty of fun. Half of the group used Play-Doh to create a range of imaginative creations, including some impressive-looking biscuits! The other half used pipe cleaners to make flowers, trees and hearts.
The girls enjoyed lots of conversations throughout the session, chatting about their holidays, friends, family, summer activities, music and identities. It was great to hear them sharing their experiences, interests and stories with one another.
We finished the session with some fun group games, including musical chairs, musical statues and sleeping lions, which everyone really enjoyed.
It was a positive and engaging session, giving the young people plenty of opportunities to be creative, socialise and have fun together.
Week 4
We had a lovely session this week, where the girls enjoyed painting a pottery animal of their choice. We saw some fantastic, colourful and creative designs!
The girls really enjoyed the activity and were pleased that pottery painting had been included, as it was something they had hoped to do. They really enjoy getting creative and always come up with some wonderful ideas when it comes to designing and creating their own characters.
A few of the girls had been away on holiday, so we spent some time chatting about their trips and what they had been up to. They all shared what a wonderful time they had and how much they had enjoyed spending quality time with their families.
Most of the girls were planning to collect their new school uniforms over the coming days, ready for their transition to high school. While a few said they were enjoying the summer holidays, they were also looking forward to getting back into a routine and starting the next chapter at high school.
We were also delighted to welcome Mrs Wainwright, Deputy Head Teacher at Michael Drayton School, and Mehwish Qureshi, PCN Clinical Director, who both popped in to see the girls this week. It was lovely to have them join us, and the girls were very pleased to see them. They all said they are already looking forward to our next session!
We finished the session with a fun game of musical statues, before the girls took their pottery creations home with them. It was a lovely, creative session and a great way to spend time together during the summer holidays.
Week 5
This week, the girls got creative decorating their very own glow-in-the-dark rocks! There was plenty of choice, with a fantastic selection of metallic and standard paints, glitter, glow-in-the-dark pens and stickers. The girls really enjoyed experimenting with the different materials and creating their own unique designs.
The girls are incredibly artistic and always come up with fantastic ideas for what they would like to create next. We even had a pizza-themed rock, which looked particularly impressive!
There was lots of conversation throughout the session, with the girls chatting about their summer holidays and everything they have been getting up to. They have all been keeping busy catching up with friends and family, enjoying summer activities and going away on holiday. Although they have enjoyed the summer, many of them said they are looking forward to the cooler weather, with some already getting very excited about Halloween!
Most of the girls now have their new school uniforms ready and are beginning to feel more prepared for their transition to high school. They are all growing into such polite, confident and well-mannered young ladies, and it is lovely to see how ready they are for this exciting next chapter.
We finished the session with some group games, with musical statues proving once again to be a firm favourite!
It was a fun and creative session, with plenty of laughter, conversation and fantastic artwork.
Week 6
We had another lovely session with the young people, where they had the opportunity to decorate their own mugs using acrylic pens. The young girls were incredibly creative and used the activity as a meaningful opportunity to express themselves, showcase their identities, and share their individual interests.
The creative activity naturally led to some really in-depth and engaging conversations around music, films, favourite characters, personal interests, and life experiences. It was wonderful to see how the girls used their designs as a way of communicating aspects of their personalities and what is important to them.
They spent the full hour carefully decorating their mugs, putting a great deal of thought, creativity, and attention to detail into their designs. It was lovely to see them so engaged and proud of what they had created, while also using the session as a space to connect, communicate, and express themselves.
