Date Published: March 7, 2025
When we think about what makes a school successful, academic results often top the list. But beneath every exam score and attendance rate is something much more fundamental: wellbeing. If students don’t feel safe, supported, and mentally healthy, they won’t be in the right place to learn—no matter how talented the teacher or well-planned the curriculum.
In 2025, schools are facing growing challenges in the form of mental health concerns, staff burnout, and disengaged learners. Now more than ever, student wellbeing needs to be central to everything we do—not as a bolt-on programme, but as the foundation of school life.
What Do We Mean by Student Wellbeing?
Student wellbeing goes beyond mental health alone. It encompasses a young person’s emotional, psychological, and social state—how safe they feel, their ability to manage emotions, their relationships with peers and staff, and their sense of belonging at school.
When schools prioritise wellbeing, they create environments where students:
- Feel safe, valued, and connected
- Are more engaged in learning
- Build resilience and emotional awareness
- Can seek help without fear or stigma
And when that happens, learning follows.
The Link Between Wellbeing and Academic Success
Wellbeing isn’t a distraction from academic goals—it’s a key driver of them. Research consistently shows that students with higher levels of wellbeing:
- Attend school more regularly
- Perform better in assessments
- Have fewer behavioural incidents
- Show improved concentration and self-regulation
According to Public Health England, “pupils with better health and wellbeing are likely to achieve better academically.” Simply put: when students feel good, they do better.
Whole-child education is no longer optional—it’s essential.
Rising Mental Health Needs in Schools
The data is stark. The number of children and young people experiencing anxiety, low mood, self-harm, or more complex mental health difficulties has risen sharply in recent years. The effects of the pandemic, increased screen time, exam pressure, and social challenges have all contributed to a growing crisis in schools.
Staff are seeing it daily:
- Students struggling to focus
- Emotional outbursts and withdrawal
- Panic attacks and persistent absenteeism
Schools cannot—and should not—replace mental health services. But they can provide a protective environment that promotes resilience, early identification, and access to help.
The Role of SEL in Promoting Wellbeing
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a powerful framework for building wellbeing into the curriculum. It teaches students essential life skills, such as:
- Understanding and managing emotions
- Building healthy relationships
- Resolving conflict constructively
- Developing empathy and resilience
Embedding SEL across the school helps students navigate challenges, build confidence, and support their peers. It also creates a shared emotional vocabulary that helps everyone communicate more effectively—especially in moments of difficulty.
SEL isn’t just for PSHE lessons—it should be woven into classroom culture, assemblies, behaviour policies, and tutor time.
Teacher Wellbeing Matters Too
We can’t talk about student wellbeing without addressing teacher wellbeing. Staff who are stressed, unsupported, or overwhelmed cannot create calm, safe spaces for their pupils. Burnout is real—and it’s on the rise.
Supporting teacher wellbeing means:
- Monitoring workload and admin demands
- Creating a culture of openness and psychological safety
- Offering access to mental health resources or supervision
- Encouraging a healthy work-life balance
Wellbeing is contagious. A supported teacher models emotional regulation, positivity, and resilience—and students take note.
Building a Whole-School Culture of Wellbeing
Putting wellbeing at the heart of your school isn’t about a single initiative. It’s about embedding wellbeing into the ethos, systems, and day-to-day life of your school. That means looking at:
- Policies: Are your behaviour, exclusion, and safeguarding policies trauma-informed and inclusive?
- Relationships: Do students feel they have trusted adults they can speak to?
- Curriculum: Are SEL and mental health topics covered in meaningful, age-appropriate ways?
- Staff training: Is everyone—from lunchtime supervisors to SLT—equipped to support emotional wellbeing?
- Student voice: Are pupils part of shaping wellbeing initiatives in your school?
Creating a whole-school approach means everyone pulls in the same direction—and students get consistent, compassionate support no matter where they are or who they’re with.
Practical Ways to Prioritise Wellbeing
Here are some simple, evidence-informed actions schools can take to put wellbeing front and centre:
- Daily check-ins: Use digital tools or tutor time to gauge how students are feeling each day.
- Wellbeing ambassadors: Involve students in peer-led wellbeing activities or mentoring schemes.
- Quiet spaces: Provide calm zones or reflection areas in school for students who feel overwhelmed.
- Celebrate progress, not just grades: Recognise kindness, effort, teamwork, and personal growth.
- Staff wellbeing surveys: Actively listen to staff and adapt policies in response to feedback.
- Regular training: Keep wellbeing on the CPD agenda, with workshops on trauma-informed practice, emotional literacy, and self-care.
Why This Needs to Be a Leadership Priority
When school leaders take wellbeing seriously, it sends a powerful message to the whole community. It tells students, staff, and families: This school values people over performance. This is a safe place to grow.
And it’s not just a moral argument—it’s strategic. Schools that lead on wellbeing see better retention, reduced exclusions, stronger attendance, and higher levels of parent satisfaction.
Wellbeing isn’t soft—it’s smart leadership.
Final Thoughts
In 2025, the most effective schools are those that recognise the inseparable link between wellbeing and learning. When schools make wellbeing a whole-school priority—supported by SEL, teacher care, and strong systems—they don’t just help students cope. They help them thrive.
Whether you’re a classroom teacher, safeguarding lead, or headteacher, remember this: your school is not just an academic institution. It’s a community—and its success depends on how well its people are cared for.
Looking for a better way to support student wellbeing across your school?
Team Satchel helps schools embed SEL, track wellbeing, and foster a positive culture—using tools designed for real classrooms and real needs.
Find out how we can help your school make wellbeing a central part of every day.
Author: Hope Marvin
