January, a month often associated with new beginnings, can bring about unique challenges, particularly for those working in education. Households are grappling with post-Christmas financial strain, and the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect students' mental health. Recognising that children can't learn effectively if they're struggling with poor mental health, schools are prioritising wellbeing as a crucial aspect of education.
According to our Generation Catch-Up Report, which surveyed 500 school leaders, mental health and wellbeing are the most significant factors affecting pupils' learning. Addressing this issue has become an urgent matter for schools, considering the rise in behavioural problems and chronic absenteeism since the pandemic began way back in 2020.
Managing Anxiety
One key challenge identified by schools is the increase in low-level pupil anxiety affecting learning and attendance. To counter this, schools are enhancing support in various ways.
Establishing morning nurture groups, like at St Thomas More Catholic Primary, provides a quiet space for younger pupils to acclimate to the school day, especially if they struggle with separating from parents. For older students, breakfast clubs offer a positive start to the day with friends.
Breakfast clubs can also be a great initiative to avoid lateness at key periods of the academic year, e.g. for exams or school trips, especially for repeat offenders.
In secondary schools, encouraging open discussions about worries is proving effective. Beacon Academy has introduced professional counselling services to help students cope with heightened nervousness. Assistant headteacher Peter Hall emphasises the importance of being aware of anxiety flashpoints, such as approaching deadlines or exams.
“The reality is that many young people could have been saved from taking their own lives if only there had been adequate support in place in the early stages of their mental health decline. The government needs to do all it can to give all schools the support our young people deserve.”
-Ed Hall, Head of Education
Building Social Skills
Education extends beyond academics, and the lack of opportunities for socialising during the pandemic has impacted children's social skills. Secondary schools report observing social interactions in Year 7 and 8 that are more typical of primary school pupils.
Schools, like St Illtyd’s Catholic High School, are investing additional time in helping pupils manage relationships. Staff members are upskilling to address increased tears, arguing, and falling outs among students, fostering an environment where children can learn how to navigate their emotions in challenging situations.
We share some tips on how to encourage socialising and creativity in the classroom in our blog on Supporting Children’s Mental Health in Primary Schools here.
Embedding Wellbeing in Education
School leaders are recognising the importance of embedding wellbeing as a natural part of children's education. Addressing issues proactively can prevent long-term poor mental health from negatively impacting a child's education. Celebrities are also backing the action to have a more proactive approach to managing mental health in schools. In the later months of 2023, presenter Roman Kemp issued a letter to the prime minister asking for all schools to provide mental health support to its students.
Currently, the government’s target is to embed Mental Health Support Teams in 36% of schools. Roman has called for this to be increased to 100% and said an estimated 6.5 million children are missing out on school-based support, at a time where less than 1% of NHS funding is spent on children’s mental health.
Does your school have a Mental Health Support Team as a way of embedding wellbeing and mental health into education?
Continue Your Learning About Mental Health
If you would like to look into mental health management in your school, here are some resources that give more context and information regarding how to tackle such issues in the classroom, and the issues currently faced in education.
And don’t forget to head to our Blog for our latest resources, information and advice on key education issues and themes, including advice and guidance on mental health.