Pupils invited to County Hall to join the best in the county

A group of pupils at Tarleton Academy, near Preston, part of Endeavour Learning Trust, have been crowned the best debaters in West Lancashire in the Great Lancashire Debate this month.

The Great Lancashire Debate, supporting UK Parliament Week, invited Schools from across the county to find the best debaters across Lancashire.

6 students from Tarleton entered into the debate. To enter, they had to write a five-minute presentation on what they predict Lancashire will be like in 50 years' time, and the changes they feel need to be made by Parliament today to benefit the county over the next 50 years.

As well as being crowned as the top debaters in West Lancashire, Tarleton's Daisy Sutton:- From Year 9 was also recognised as a highly commended speaker by the judges.

The competition itself was judged by Helen Bingley, High Sheriff of Lancashire, and Dr Clare Egan, an English and creative writing lecturer at Lancaster University.

The students had a small amount of time to prepare, but dedicated tutor sessions and lunchtimes to work as a team and construct a speech on their priority of improving the local economy in Lancashire.

They argued that financial support for coastal areas in Lancashire would improve economic growth, which would in turn have a beneficial impact on unemployment rates in towns like Blackpool and Southport.

Another of their priorities was to provide budgets to allow additional training and education for those finding it hard to get into employment, as well as support groups to allow them to discuss anxieties that may prevent them from entering the world of work.

Scott Parker, Headteacher of Tarleton Academy, said:- "These students are a real inspiration, not just to their peers, but also to all of us who might sometimes be tempted to leave the debates to others. By getting involved, our students have not only shown their intelligence but also demonstrated their tenacity and a healthy sense of competition. These are the exact sorts of traits we encourage in all our pupils here at Tarleton."

David Clayton, Chief Executive of the Endeavour Learning Trust, commented:- "Our debaters from Tarleton Academy are examples of the sort of values we encourage at all our Schools and academies - critical thinking, eloquence in speech and thought, and self-confidence, matched by a real commitment to supporting their communities to thrive. With students as engaged as these as the leaders of the future, I'm confident that Lancashire will be in good hands 50 years from now."

The students were highly commended by Lancashire County Council, who praised their creativity and the delivery of their presentation.

9 in 10 employees want bosses to prioritise mental health at work

A new survey from workplace expert Acas has found that 89% of employees think it is important for bosses to prioritise staff mental health at work.

Acas is encouraging employers to talk to their staff to ensure mental wellbeing is supported in the workplace.

Not everyone will show obvious signs of poor mental health. Some possible signs include:-

• Appearing tired, anxious or withdrawn.
  

• Increase in sickness absence or being late to work.
  

• Changes in the standard of their work or focus on tasks.
  

• Being less interested in tasks they previously enjoyed.
  

• Changes in usual behaviour, mood or how the person behaves with the people they work with.

Acas Head of Inclusive Workplaces, Julie Dennis, said:- "Bosses should treat poor mental health at work in the same way as physical illnesses and regularly ask their staff how they are doing. Some people with poor mental health can also be considered disabled under the Equality Act, which means an employer must make reasonable adjustments at work. Mental health includes:- emotional, psychological and social wellbeing. It affects how someone thinks, feels and behaves. Having conversations with staff in a sympathetic way can be a good 1st step."

By law (Equality Act 2010) someone with poor mental health can be considered to be disabled if:-

• It has a:- 'substantial adverse effect' on their life; for example, they regularly cannot focus on a task, or it takes them longer to complete tasks.
  

• It lasts, or is expected to last, at least 12 months.
  

• It affects their ability to do their normal day to day activities; for example:- interacting with people, following instructions or keeping set working times.

When making reasonable adjustments for mental health, employers should take into account that:-

• Every job is different, so what works in 1 situation might not work in another.
  

• Every employee is different, so what works for 1 employee might not work for another.
  

• Mental health changes over time, so what works for an employee now might not work in the future.
  

• Most reasonable adjustments are relatively.
  

• Easy and are of little to low cost but can make all the difference.

It's a good idea to work with the employee to make the right adjustments for them, even if the issue is not a disability. Often, simple changes to the person's working arrangements or responsibilities could be enough.

They can cover any area of work, be inexpensive to implement and as simple as giving someone more frequent, shorter breaks or providing quiet rest areas.

According to the Office for National Statistics, 18.5million days were lost in 2022 through sickness absence for mental health conditions.

For more information, please visit:- Acas.Org.UK.