Fostering Wellbeing in Schools

The importance of mental health and psychosocial wellbeing can no longer be overlooked. Despite growing awareness, the wellbeing of young children and adolescents demands more attention. Schools, alongside families, play a vital role in nurturing students' physical and mental wellbeing. Today's learners face significant pressure from academic expectations, social dynamics, social media influence, and an uncertain future. The evolving challenges faced by young people necessitate schools prioritising their psychosocial needs, creating safe and supportive environments.

Wellbeing encompasses not only feeling well but also functioning well. In today's digitally connected world, educators must prepare learners with the right skills and attributes to navigate an unpredictable future. Research highlights the challenges young minds face, including academic pressure and stress from high-stakes examinations, significantly impacting their wellbeing.?

A recent UNICEF report titled ‘The State of the World's Children’ reveals alarming statistics: one in seven young individuals aged 15 to 24 in India suffers from poor mental health, including symptoms of depression and apathy. Only 41% of those surveyed recognised the need to seek help when facing mental health difficulties. Early intervention is critical, as untreated emotional stress contributes to physical illness and impacts overall wellbeing.

Why Wellbeing Matters

Before we talk about providing accessible wellbeing resources in schools, we need to understand why safeguarding the wellbeing of learners is critical. To begin with, wellbeing is not just about feeling well but also functioning well. In the digitally connected world, educators need to prepare learners who are ready to take on an unpredictable world in the future with the right skills and leadership traits.?

It’s evident the kind of challenges young minds face, including academic pressure and the stress of high-stakes examinations, which can significantly impact their wellbeing. Rote learning and memorisation leads to poor understanding of concepts, resulting in increased stress and anxiety among students who struggle to grasp concepts. Poor language skills, particularly in English, which are essential for success in the 21st-century workforce, can further fuel anxiety and hinder the development of learners who are our future leaders.?

When learners feel overwhelmed or disengaged, their mental and emotional health can suffer. As learners mature, the pressures associated with performance and future opportunities can become overwhelming, making robust mental health support essential for building resilience and success. It becomes critical to prioritise wellbeing, as it directly influences students’ ability to navigate career choices and subject selections based on their interests.?

Addressing these concerns not only benefits students’ immediate wellbeing but also equips them for a healthier, more fulfilling future.

Wellbeing in Education

Young people spend a lot of time in school and there is an increasing awareness, along with supportive research, which suggests that wellbeing is just as important for a learner’s individual development as the acquisition of knowledge and skills.?The pandemic years have been tough on everyone, especially learners who had to cope with remote learning and were overwhelmed by digital fatigue. Since the pandemic, the need to put student wellbeing at the forefront of education has become increasingly apparent.?A?national mental health survey ?conducted by the government in 2022 revealed that students at middle- and high-school levels in India are battling anxiety owing to academics, examinations and several other factors.?

Teachers need training that emphasises critical thinking, creativity, and effective communication. By equipping educators with the tools to build a more interactive and supportive learning environment, we can promote a deeper engagement with content, enhance language skills, and ultimately contribute to the holistic wellbeing of students. Cambridge CEM (the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring) with its Cambridge Wellbeing Check , for students aged 7 to 18, from primary to ? secondary and beyond, are resources that teachers can use to measure their students’ wellbeing and support their conversations. Teachers can use it to monitor the times when their students might be feeling low, stressed, pressured by exams, or coping with change over time. They can use it to support students to feel good and perform well.

Integrating Wellbeing into the Curriculum

Open communication is vital for mental wellbeing, and schools create safe spaces for students to express themselves. Prioritising mental health education nurtures emotionally resilient and socially adept individuals. Integrating wellbeing education empowers students to manage emotions, paving the way for a healthier future. Schools can incorporate wellbeing education into the curriculum, focusing on emotional and social skill development alongside academics.

To fully benefit from wellbeing initiatives, sensitisation must occur at a systemic level. Prioritising professional development for teachers and school leaders is important, as it ensures that curriculum adopts wellbeing in its entirety within the classroom. Although the concept of wellbeing has been integrated in various ways, it’s now time to adopt a focused and structured approach for its formal integration. This will help support learners and stakeholders at every stage, enabling them to understand and apply these principles for themselves and those around them.?

Time to Act

The mental health crisis among young people demands urgent and collective action. At Cambridge International Education, we understand the importance of our learners' well-being and offer a holistic programme . ?Starting from the primary level , this programme encourages learners to reflect on and understand themselves, foster positive relationships with others, and empowers them to be safe and active participants in an ever-changing world. In Lower Secondary , the well-being programme supports learners through a critical period of development, marked by rapid cognitive and emotional changes. By promoting and supporting a positive sense of wellbeing, learners are more likely to feel motivated, engaged, and resilient in their learning.

Let us unite to create a supportive ecosystem that prioritises learner wellbeing by equipping teachers with mental health training and fostering stigma-free school cultures. This requires a shared responsibility among educators, policymakers, parents, and community members to break stigmas surrounding mental health and foster supportive learning environments. By working together, we can empower young minds to thrive, unlocking a brighter future for generations to come.