Creating a culture of positive mental health in school

The truth is, although we are all more connected than ever via technology and social media, we can also feel at times more alone, apart, isolated than ever too. Embedding emotional literacy into the curriculum, as well as into our everyday language can go a long way to tackling loneliness and other mental health issues, such as anxiety and teacher and pupil burnout.

Embedding a culture of well-being into the fabric of school life

Some children don’t find it easy to talk about how they are feeling, whether they are lonely, anxious, or sad, but making small changes to the school day can make a big difference. One way is to build activities into the curriculum to encourage conversations around wellbeing or using a lesson to discuss social media and how it can have an impact on feelings of isolation. 

Holding regular wellbeing events both inside and outside of school can be a good way to encourage open discussions around the mental health issues that matter to young people and helps to keep the theme of wellbeing in the minds of pupils and staff. Inviting neighbouring schools to take part, extends the reach of your wellbeing efforts and introduces pupils to other young people in their community. 

Dedicated mental health leads

Another way of reinforcing your school’s commitment to creating a more positive mental health culture is to appoint a dedicated mental health lead.

The impact of poor mental health on society is often reflected in our schools, piling the pressure on teachers who are battling to keep the equilibrium. Last year more than 400,000 under-18’s were referred for specialist health support, with only 1 in 3 getting the help they need.  

This leaves teachers in a position where they are picking up the slack, and yet 36% of teachers surveyed by the teaching union NEU said they were yet to receive any mental health training to help them support pupils. 

The government has recognised this gap and has provided funding to train staff with the aim that every school will have a senior mental health lead. More information on how to apply for a grant for your school is available on the senior mental health lead training site. 

Identifying and training a senior lead will help your school or college to better promote and support pupil and staff mental wellbeing. It is a pivotal role as they will provide a crucial first point of contact for pupils and staff who are reaching out. 

Spotting the signs and acting early is vital so pupils can be signposted to the support they need, whether it’s on-site talking therapy or managing a referral to a mental health service like CAMHS. Working in education is not easy these days, with the pressure of post pandemic pupil catch up and the resulting increase in workload.  The importance of equipping all staff with the skills they need to maintain their own wellbeing should not be overlooked. 

Securing buy-in

It's essential to get the whole school on board when making plans to create a culture of positive mental health and well-being.  It’s best not to make assumptions and instead ask pupils and teachers what they see the main issues are.  Running a survey is a good way to approach this, you can then look closely at the responses and discuss the results openly and honestly with your school community to form the basis for a shared vision of a whole-school strategy to improve wellbeing and address feelings of loneliness and isolation across the school.

Teachers feel more supported if they are offered practical techniques to help them address the challenges they are facing and meet the mental health needs of children and staff. 

Increasingly we are seeing schools harnessing the power of this approach and adopting innovative strategies to break down taboos, reduce negativity and encourage children to develop strategies they can use to manage their emotions. 

Let’s talk about it

We’ve worked with over 2,000 schools nationally and internationally to develop Senior Mental Health Leads through our training courses and other provision such as the School Mental Health Award. 

Our Senior Mental Health Lead Training Courses have been certified to be on the Department for Education (DfE) approved training course framework. Find out more here. 

Click here, if you would like to receive a FREE guide on how to create a culture of positive mental health in your school.