Nurturing Minds – Why Mentally Healthy Schools Matter More Than Ever

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to reflect, educate, and act on the importance of mental wellbeing. While mental health is a year-round priority, this month offers a powerful opportunity to spotlight the environments where children and educators spend a significant portion of their lives: schools.

At Innovating Minds and through our trauma-informed programme Healing Together, and our online platform EduPod, we believe that mentally healthy schools are not just beneficial—they are essential. A nurturing school environment can be the difference between a child thriving or struggling, and between a teacher staying in the profession or burning out.

The Current Landscape: Mental Health in Schools

The statistics are sobering. According to the Big Mental Health Report 2024 by Mind:

• 1 in 5 school-age children in the UK has a mental health difficulty [1].
• Only one-third of those children were able to access treatment last year.
• There has been a 34% increase in referrals for anxiety among children and young people in Wales between 2015/16 and 2022/23 [1].

Educators are also under immense pressure. The emotional toll of supporting students, managing workloads, and navigating systemic challenges has led to rising stress levels and burnout among school staff.

Why Mentally Healthy Schools Matter

A mentally healthy school is one where:

• Children feel safe, supported, and valued.
• Staff are equipped and empowered to manage their own wellbeing and support others.
• Mental health is embedded into the culture, not treated as an add-on.

Research consistently shows that when schools prioritise mental health:

• Attendance improves.
• Mental health improves
• Behavioural issues decrease.
• Academic performance rises.
• Staff retention increases.

Innovating Minds: Turning Awareness into Action

At www.innovatingmindscic.com, we work with schools to embed whole-school approaches to mental health. Our programmes are evidence-based, trauma-informed, and tailored to the unique needs of each school community.

One of our flagship initiatives, Healing Together, provides therapeutic resources and training to help children who have experienced trauma. It also supports school staff in recognising and responding to trauma-related behaviours with compassion and confidence.

EduPod, our online platform, is designed to support senior mental health leads in school to implement a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing for everyone.

EduPod: A Digital Ally for Mental Health in Schools

To further support schools in creating mentally healthy environments, we’ve developed EduPod—a digital platform that brings together wellbeing tools, data tracking, and personalised support in one place.

EduPod empowers schools to:

• Create and implement a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing strategy
• Easily run self-assessment audit
• Capture the whole school voice with pre-generated surveys template for staff, students, parents and governors.
• Track and report on wellbeing trends and improvements across students and staff to Ofsted.
• Build a culture of care through consistent, evidence-informed practices.

By integrating EduPod into daily school life, senior mental health leads can make informed decisions that support both individual needs and whole-school wellbeing strategies.

Tips for Creating Mentally Healthy School Environments

Here are a few practical steps schools can take to support both pupils and staff:

1. Prioritise Emotional Literacy

Teach children to name and understand their emotions. Use tools like emotion check-ins, feelings charts, and storytelling to build emotional awareness from an early age.

2. Train Staff in Trauma-Informed Practice

Equip teachers and support staff with the knowledge to recognise signs of trauma and respond in ways that de-escalate rather than punish. Healing Together offers accessible training that fits into busy school schedules.

3. Create Safe Spaces

Designate calm areas where students can take a break when overwhelmed. These spaces should be welcoming, quiet, and supervised by trained staff.

4. Encourage Open Conversations

Normalise talking about mental health. Use assemblies, PSHE lessons, and peer support groups to create a culture where it’s okay to not be okay.

5. Support Staff Wellbeing

Offer regular wellbeing check-ins, access to counselling or supervision, and protected time for planning and rest. A mentally healthy workforce is better equipped to support students.

6. Use Data to Drive Change

Platforms like EduPod help schools track wellbeing indicators like attendance, behaviour incidents, and staff feedback. This data can guide targeted interventions and measure impact over time.

Platforms like EduPod help schools track wellbeing indicators like attendance, behaviour incidents, and staff feedback. This data can guide targeted interventions and measure impact over time.wellbeing

Looking Ahead

Mental Health Awareness Month is a reminder that mental wellbeing is not a luxury—it’s a foundation. By investing in mentally healthy schools, we’re not just supporting individual children and staff; we’re building stronger, communities.

Let’s move beyond awareness and into action. Whether you're a teacher, parent, policymaker, or student, you have a role to play in creating environments where every mind can thrive.

To learn more about how Innovating Minds, Healing Together, and EduPod can support your school, visit:

www.healing-together.co.uk

www.myedupod.com

References

[1] The Big Mental Health Report 2024 - Mind

Ready for a demo? Book a call with Dr. Asha Patel, Clinical Psychologist and CEO of Innovating Minds to view the platform in action.