Week One Done! Highlights from Our First Session
This week, we ran our first after-school club! TL;DR: It went really well—the children were engaged, which was fantastic to see. I was also quite relieved, as they hadn’t signed themselves up for this—you, the parents, did. So, it was great to see them all getting involved and enjoying the session.
I’m also pleased that the first session is done. You can talk about ideas and big plans, but until you put them into action and the rubber hits the road so to speak, you never really know if they’ll work.
Before I dive into the details, I want to give a huge thank you to a couple of people who have helped make this first session a reality:
Anna – You believed in this idea from the start, doing everything you could to get the school on board. Your encouragement gave me the confidence to push forward.
Anne – You made sure I had everything I needed, helped set up the classroom, gave up your time to support the session, and have been my biggest cheerleader ever since. Thank you!
The Set-Up
We had a great space at the school, and since the session didn’t require the children to be at screens, we made it as comfortable as possible.
There were seven children in the club. When they arrived, they each received a notebook with their name on it, some Post-it notes, and a Sharpie. Then, we gave them all a hoodie—a small but intentional gesture to make a strong first impression. If this club is going to succeed, it needs to be a place children want to be. The hoodies definitely helped—one child even said, “This jumper is slay.” (Which, I think, means it’s cool!) Another asked how they could get one, to which I replied, “Get your parents to sign you up for the club.”
We also set up a whiteboard and flipchart with A1-sized printouts, including a screenshot of a WhatsApp group chat. This worked brilliantly—before I even started talking, the children were already absorbed in it, asking questions straight away.
To create a relaxed atmosphere, we played background music—nothing too loud, just enough to ease the awkwardness of a silent room. That said, my daughter was not impressed with my song choices!
What We Did
The session was built around three key lessons I wanted the children to take away:
1. Think before you share
Always ask for permission before sharing photos or messages involving others. What you share could impact their feelings and reputation.
2. Your actions leave a mark
Everything you post, share, or react to contributes to your digital footprint. Make sure it reflects who you want to be.
3. Be kind and inclusive
Words and actions online matter. Treat others with respect, just as you would in person.
Introducing Elen
After introductions, I introduced the children to Elen, a fictional character based on real insights and conversations. It was important that they could relate to her before we started the exercises.
I asked, “Are you nervous about going to secondary school?”
Every single child said yes. Their honesty and openness were really interesting to see.
Exercise 1: How Does Elen Feel?
The first exercise involved reading through a WhatsApp conversation on the printout. The children were asked to consider how Elen might be feeling.
They wrote their thoughts on Post-it notes and stuck them to the board. One by one, they read their responses aloud. I was so impressed with how deeply they thought about it and the observations they made. They immediately put themselves in Elen’s shoes and became protective of her.
We then discussed their notes as a group, highlighting key details they might have missed—such as the timing of messages, how many people had seen the conversation without responding, and the emojis used that made things worse rather than better.
Role Play: Bringing It to Life
One part of the chat involved a harsh “welcome” into the group. To emphasise this, we had one child leave the room, then walk back in as we read the message aloud.
Hearing the words spoken out loud made a huge impact—it really drove home the point that you wouldn’t say things like that in person, so why is it acceptable online?
Discussion: Digital Footprint
We then asked the children if they knew what a digital footprint was. Some did, which was great.
We reviewed the WhatsApp conversation from this perspective—discussing what it meant for their online reputation and how to create a positive digital footprint.
Activity: The Tattoo Analogy
We asked the children to design their perfect tattoo on a Post-it note—something that represented them. They got really creative with this!
The idea behind this was simple: Tattoos are permanent, just like anything you post online. If you wouldn’t want a certain tattoo on your body forever, think twice before sharing something online. We also emphasised the importance of asking permission before posting anything about someone else.
At this point, the children started openly discussing real-life examples of photos taken out of context and shared online. We let the conversation flow naturally—it was encouraging to see them engage so thoughtfully.
Explicit Imagery Discussion
We carefully introduced the topic of explicit imagery, ensuring it was appropriate for their age.
When I finally said, “Explicit imagery can include sexual content,” the reaction was immediate—a look of fear and discomfort. One child even said, “That’s a word I hate.”
This was my biggest learning from the session: talking to parents or adults about this topic is really difficult for them.
Key Takeaways: What Should You Do?
Don’t share it – If you see an explicit image, don’t pass it on.
Tell a trusted adult – Speak to a parent, teacher, or another trusted adult who can help.
Support the person involved – Let them know they’re not alone and encourage them to talk to someone they trust.
When I asked, “Would you tell a teacher or an adult?” I got the feeling that most wouldn’t—for two main reasons:
Embarrassment – The topic itself makes them uncomfortable.
Fear – They worry that adults would involve other parents and teachers, leading to trouble for themselves and their friends.
This is something I want to explore further in future sessions.
What Went Well
✔ Smaller group size – Encouraged open discussion, even from the quieter children.
✔ Background music – Helped create a more relaxed atmosphere.
✔ Balanced content – The best moments were when the children debated and discussed things freely, with us simply guiding the conversation.
What Could Be Improved
⚡ Encouraging food and drink – Keeping focus for an hour after school is tough. Bringing a snack might help.
👂 Listening more to their perspectives – I want to ensure sessions reflect their reality, not just deliver a set agenda.
Feedback & Stats
The highlight has been that we have another school that has signed up which is great and had a really good chat with another head teacher so hopefully progress in another school too.
Stats This Week (compared to last week)
📌 8 (+1) Newsletter subscribers
📱 34 (+6) Instagram followers
📘 15 (+5) Facebook followers
👀 12k (+1k) Facebook views
💻 356 (+56) Unique website visits
👥 7/6 Children signed up (yes, we somehow have an extra!)
🏫 2 (+1) Schools signed up, 3 schools interested
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