Abstract

As rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and eating disorders are on the up among young people, how can schools provide appropriate information and support for the young people in their classrooms? How can they bridge the gap between what they know matters - the impact of these issues on learning and life-long health - and the mounting day-to-day priorities and pressures of school life?

This book provides unique insight into 12 projects that are helping to answer these questions and supporting teachers to make mental health and emotional wellbeing a key player in the school day. With a mix of longer-term initiatives and simple strategies that schools can put in place immediately, it explores mentoring and mindfulness, social action and sport, Lego play and poetry, the power of parents and the role of PSHE. It describes how these projects work practically and shares the impact they are having, increasing resilience and raising the aspirations and emotional wellbeing of the whole school community. As well as showcasing ideas that are making a difference, the book meets with the education leaders and charities behind the initiatives (including Place2Be, Step up to Serve, Kidscape, Mosaic, Diversity Role Models, Beat, Achievement for All and others) who offer advice and signpost useful information to support readers in getting these ideas off the ground in their schools.

This book is a source of inspiration for headteachers, senior leadership teams, pastoral care teams, school counsellors and psychologists.

I liked the book as an overview of different wellbeing projects carried out in different schools. I would recommend it to pastoral staff in school who are looking for different ways to increase pupil wellbeing - especially those who have some influence over the school's wellbeing initiatives. Even if the charities or specific initiatives mentioned in the book are not practical for the reader's school, the book stimulates imagination and does a good job in showing the wide variety of ideas being used across the country.
Sarah Burrell, BACP, school counsellor
Children and Young People, BACP
The School of Wellbeing is a treasure trove of ideas and inspiration. It takes you outside the box and then some whilst sharing practical steps that others have taken to bring their projects to life so that the reader might aspire to emulate some of these successes. It is an easy read full of 'aha' and 'ooh' moments.
Pooky Knightsmith, Director of the Children, Young People and Schools Programme at the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust
Jenny Hulme is a freelance journalist, writer and PR consultant. She has a degree in English Literature, a diploma in Journalism Studies and over 25 years' experience as a writer and editor on national educational, women's, and parenting magazines. She is the author of How to Create Kind Schools also published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Jenny lives in South Wales, UK.
Interviews with headteachers (both primary and secondary) inform the book throughout, interspersed with viewpoints from other experts... Jargon-free, easy to read and well indexed, this book is inspiring and empowering.
Anne Harding
School Library Association