Sam Coton, a certified life coach, is taking big steps to cut down on GCSE exam stress. That’s exactly what he’s doing through his community initiative, ‘Better Me, Better You’. Now working full-time for the National Trust, Coton still leads workshops regularly at Chipping Campden School in the Cotswolds. As far as he dreams, he’d like to see the program become part of the school curriculum. He is passionate about the necessity to teach students mental health practices and the importance of self-belief.
The ‘Better Me, Better You’ program aims to empower students by teaching them about their subconscious mind and fostering self-belief. This ingenious methodology cuts straight to the core and resonates beautifully with students such as Kobi. At first, he struggled with stress, but the workshops helped him realize that he needed to start “changing something” in his life.
Fraser, a Year 12 student of Chipping Campden School told us how the course has changed his approach to study. He admitted that he previously struggled to focus, stating, “I could do maybe 10 minutes [revision] and then go on my phone.” He attributed his historic levels of concentration to the lessons from Coton. “It got wired in my brain that I could start doing six hours revision, it was like magic,” Fraser remarked.
Naomi, a Year 11 student facing the pressure of impending exams, expressed her sentiments about the overwhelming nature of GCSEs. She echoed similar feelings of anxiety, saying, “It’s like constant, every single lesson they are mentioning it.” Coton’s program seems to offer the kind of essential support that helps students live through these disruptive challenges.
Dan Rushworth, vice principal at Chipping Campden School, said Coton’s powerful message was the highlight of the day. What Coton is doing, Schwartz said, strikes a much deeper chord than the usual playbook. “Sam’s message cut through in a way that others could not,” Rushworth noted.
Public Education Coton highlights the need to put mental health on equal footing of physical health in schools. This is the reason he outlined as a professional why a tangible move to incorporate conversations about mindset and mental health in schools is so crucial. “If it’s just built in, that we just talk about our mindset and our mental health, as much as our physical health, then I think that’s the right place to be,” he explained.
Students and staff alike have sung the program’s praises. Their answers reveal its powerful ability to alleviate pressure and help develop a more positive outlook among young learners.
