PUBLISHED 30 January 2023
On Tuesday 10th of January, the AKS Sixth Form Medical Society visited the Preparatory School to deliver presentations on basic healthcare to Year 2.
The Prep School pupils were split into two groups delivered by Year 12 medical students: one focused on hygiene and healthy habits, the other informed the pupils of healthy eating and the benefits of healthcare.
The first presentation began with discussing the importance of hand washing. This was followed with an exercise in dental hygiene which was masterfully demonstrated by the Sixth Form students. The workshop then picked its way over how to spot and treat headlice. Soon the pupils were armed with nit combs and mastered in their use. Finally, the medical students discussed sleep, and the benefits of the Year 2 class getting 10-12 hours of sleep per night, with no digital distractions. The workshop culminated in an interactive quiz with the class fully involved. The Year 2 pupils impressed with their knowledge and attention.
Meanwhile, the second class were getting their teeth into a workshop focusing on healthy eating and the major food groups; they then got the class involved by asking them to volunteer to fill in each of the food groups on a pie chart (no pun intended). All were excited to be involved and were keen to participate. The next activity was a Think, Pair, Share where pupils discussed three healthy foods that they should try to eat every day. The class came up with a wide range of fruits and vegetables. One pupil even suggested sushi! The class considered the importance of water and staying hydrated, debating how many glasses of water they need per day, which for children aged four to eight years old is 5 glasses per day. The group then moved on to asking the class about their attitudes to exercise; the class answered with a range of different sports and the group told them about the definition of exercise and their benefits. To allow the class to see the benefits first-hand of exercise, the children acted out musical statues and their heart rates were measured. Students were then asked to run or dance on the spot and their heart rates were measured again. The Year 12s questioned the class if they could spot a difference in heart rate which they shared, and it had increased. They then discussed how to exercise safely and explained the benefits of warming up and cooling down. The group finished with a collaborative quiz which the pupils were eager to answer, if a little out of breath.
Overall, the medical students were thrilled with the success of the workshops and are eager to undertake more visits at the Prep School in the future.
AKS Sixth Form Medical Society have also started collaborating with Just Good Friends, a local charity group with the aim of combatting loneliness and social isolation within the community. The medical society have started to work on a project to support carers looking after people with dementia with Bev Sykes, the founder of Just Good Friends.
Amy Patel and Kate Sobey
Heads of AKS Medical Society