Tuesday 12 January 2027 – 12:30 – 13:30
Cost: From £55
Location: Online
Content overview:
As students from diverse cultural backgrounds adapt to the UK and school environment, it is essential to understand the unique challenges they face in terms of diet, exercise and mental health. This webinar will explore strategies for promoting a balanced lifestyle, while considering cultural differences in good habits, fitness expectations, and approaches to emotional wellbeing.
Attendees will gain practical tools to help international students adjust, thrive, and feel supported in their new school environment, bridging the gap between their home cultures and UK health norms. This session is perfect for anyone looking to ensure a nurturing, inclusive space where international students can flourish.
Training topics will include:
- Understanding cultural contexts: an overview of cultural diversity in international students and the importance of recognising varying norms around health, diet, fitness and mental wellbeing
- Potential challenges international students face when transitioning to a UK school environment
- Diet and nutrition: cultural differences in diet and the impact on student wellbeing, common dietary concerns (allergies, religious restrictions and unfamiliar foods), practical tips for creating inclusive menus
- Fitness and exercise: global differences in attitudes towards exercise and sport, addressing potential barriers to participation (unfamiliar activities, social discomfort)
- Mental health and emotional wellbeing: cultural stigmas around mental health and how they may influence students’ willingness to seek help, providing support that is sensitive to cultural backgrounds, promoting resilience and coping strategies.
Learning outcomes:
- Recognise key cultural differences in diet, fitness and mental health that international students may experiences, and how these differences can impact their wellbeing
- Actionable strategies to support nutritional, physical and emotional needs and support international students to thrive academically and pastorally.
Speaker:
Darren Singh-MacPherson is Director of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Compliance at TASIS England
Darren Singh-MacPherson is Director of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Compliance at TASIS England and a registered Social Worker with 35 years’ experience across education, social care, safeguarding and child protection. He is the senior lead for whole-school inclusion strategy, compliance, mental health and wellbeing provision within an international day and boarding context, and is the school’s senior digital lead. Darren is co-creator of the RESPOND Safeguarding Framework, a seven-step duty-of-care workflow that bridges safeguarding policy and everyday practice. His work centres on embedding inclusion as a lived, relational practice across leadership, systems and daily school life, so that safeguarding and belonging are experienced by every child rather than simply documented. In recognition of this work, TASIS England was the ISA Boarding School of the Year in 2023 and received the 2025 ISA Award for Excellence in Inclusion.
