What are primary school pupils taught about mental health and wellbeing in England? Findings from a brief nationwide mixed-methods survey

Since 2020, primary schools in England have had a statutory duty to teach pupils about mental wellbeing. However, there is limited research on what pupils are being taught about this topic. This study aimed to generate a new understanding of what primary schools in England are teaching pupils about mental health and wellbeing, what challenges they encounter when doing so and what training or resources they would find most helpful. Participants from 68 schools from across all nine regions of England took part in a brief mixed-methods survey which aimed to capture current practice, challenges and needs in 2023. Participants commonly reported prioritising promoting emotional literacy, emotion regulation, support seeking and social connection, but also reported that limited time and resources presented a barrier to teaching pupils about mental wellbeing. Participants who had not received training in how to teach pupils about this topic were less likely to feel confident about the prospect of doing so. We conclude by arguing that many primary schools in England would benefit from access to affordable resources, training and support aimed at enabling them to teach evidence-based mental health and wellbeing lessons as part of a wider health education curriculum and whole school approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing.