Mental health matters: Factors essential for students’ well-being include supportive teachers, a caring home environment, positive peer interactions and a disciplined learning environment

In recent years, schools have placed a steadily growing emphasis on whole-child approaches to education, moving beyond conventional academic marks of success and towards a deeper understanding of social and emotional growth and wider well-being. With children spending up to 20 per cent of their lives at school in any given year, the impact of an institution’s approach to well-being on students is palpable. “Schools play a significant role in promoting positive mental health and addressing mental health challenges among students,” says Nicki Ward, head of student support services at the English Schools Foundation (ESF). “A strong focus on well-being in schools can help identify and support students who may be experiencing stress, anxiety or other mental health challenges.” Ward says that the ESF prides itself on its well-being and mental health offerings for students, which include workshops and programmes centred around improving resilience, implementing effective coping skills and building positive relationships. Well-being is a broad, overarching term that encompasses physical, social and emotional health. And in recent years, mental well-being has become a major focus within educational institutions. Adam Broomfield, head of the International Montessori School (IMS) Stanley Campus, views well-being holistically, as “the capabilities that students need to live a happy, healthy life and to reach their full potential”. As he points out, “Well-being forms the foundation of all healthy development and successful learning.” Samantha Nagorcka, a student support teacher at Yew Chung International School (YCIS), describes student wellness as an all-encompassing concept that includes “promoting healthy habits, managing stress, building and supporting positive relationships, and addressing mental health needs”. Well-being has a significant impact on students – in particular, says Nagorcka, on their ability to learn and thrive, which in turn contributes to their success. When students are able to prioritise their physical and mental well-being, she continues, “this leads to better educational outcomes, motivation and long-term well-being”. According to a recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment, there are several easily identifiable threats to student well-being. More than half of those surveyed reported significant feelings of anxiety in the run-up to an assessment or examination, despite having prepared adequately. The report further highlights a negative correlation between anxiety and scores in subjects including science. Four factors are identified as essential to improving student well-being: supportive teachers, positive peer interactions, a disciplined learning environment, and a caring home environment and parents. Of those surveyed, 19 per cent reported experiencing bullying at least a few times a month – something that can have profoundly negative impacts on self-esteem and resiliency. “By creating a nurturing and supportive environment, schools can contribute to reducing stigma, fostering emotional resilience and promoting early intervention,” says Ward, referring to the need for a proactive approach in reducing the impact of potentially harmful peer interactions. But can student well-being – an arguably ambiguous concept – be accurately measured? Broomfield believes so. Students at IMS complete regular well-being surveys and can request to meet with the school’s designated well-being team to seek further support. “This gives us a snapshot of student well-being on a whole-school and class level, and the ability to implement specific well-being support and strategies to address individual needs that students may have,” he adds. Anna Smakowska, principal at ESF Jockey Club Sarah Roe School (JCSRS) – Hong Kong’s only English-language-curriculum learning support school – implements a similar strategy. “Well-being assessments are used to plan provision and to identify individuals who may need additional support. We match strategies and explicit teaching accordingly,” she says. Smakowska advocates for an individualised approach, noting that well-being is never a one-size-fits-all experience. The school focuses on identifying the needs of each child prior to designing targeted support strategies. “For our vision, ‘For every student to be the best that they can be’, to be a lived experience, it’s vital to support the mental health and well-being of every member of our school community,” she explains. In addition to this whole-child approach, Smakowska also takes a whole-school approach to well-being. “We understand that the well-being of all members of our community – staff and parents as well as students – is important. Across ESF, you’ll see us investing time and resources to support our staff and to offer advice and guidance to parents.” Communication is key to well-being work in schools, Smakowska continues: “To be successful we need to build strong relationships and connections with others, which are often more important than a technique used to manage your own feelings and emotions.” With this in mind, ESF has expanded its educational psychology services across the organisation. It has also created an advisory role “dedicated to supporting and advising ESF schools about mental health and well-being”, says Ward. In addition, teaching and support staff across the organisation are trained to recognise signs of distress and to identify when and where additional support might be needed, whether in the form of school support or referrals to external professionals. At IMS, Broomfield asserts that a focused approach enables teaching staff to identify potential gaps in student well-being and implement early interventions. Support for this comes, he says, through the Montessori model, which sees students remain with the same classroom teacher for three consecutive years, “allowing them to develop a very deep and special relationship”. When teachers know their students very well, Broomfield elaborates, they are “particularly sensitive to any change in a child’s disposition or well-being”. Students can also be found taking a proactive approach to their own well-being. Last year, 16 students in Year 12 at ESF South Island School joined a two-day course in mental health and first aid. The internationally accredited programme equips trainees with the skills to identify and support individuals experiencing a mental health challenge. While a diverse international school community gives ample cause for celebration, particular attention needs to be paid to cultural understanding and acceptance, says Broomfield: “We have a diverse community with many nationalities and cultural norms, which shape how students behave and interact with one another. We work hard as an international school to build bridges between students.” Diversity is considered not only in terms of culture, but also when it comes to differing academic and social-emotional needs. JCSRS’s well-being charter includes a focus on bolstering emotional health and resiliency. “We recognise that well-being needs to be part of our taught curriculum. Our planning for teaching well-being incorporates evidence-based practice,” says Smakowska. The school’s well-being curriculum extends beyond the classroom, and is designed to create lasting impacts on students’ future. This, says Smakowska, takes the form of “not just teaching students how to manage stress and anxiety, but also developing their sense of security and belonging”. “Schools can create a positive and inclusive learning environment by promoting respect, celebrating diversity, offering support and guidance, and involving students in decision-making processes,” notes Nagorcka. Further, she agrees that giving students ownership of their own well-being can have a significant impact. “By offering non-academic activities that focus on students having a flourishing life – such as leadership programmes and service learning opportunities – students develop resilience in the face of failure and adversity.” Broomfield agrees, adding that student involvement leads to greater commitment, as “involving them in creating and implementing such programmes promotes their interest in participating and maximises the impact”. To implement an approach that supports the whole child, schools must work in partnership with parents and guardians to encourage an atmosphere of support in each of the environments the child engages with. “We recognise that students’ well-being can often be tied to their family’s well-being. Parents and carers need to understand the impact that they can have on the student’s well-being, be it positive or negative,” says Steve Hackman, head of Christian and community development at YCIS. He also encourages fostering open communication channels and developing a culture of support and respect at home. “Strong relationships with students and families are at the heart of effective support or intervention,” says Broomfield. He encourages supporting children to make responsible decisions around their well-being, from prioritising a nutritionally balanced diet and sleep hygiene to minimising screen time. “Don’t try to solve all your child’s problems, but rather guide and facilitate them to tackle their challenges, helping them to grow in resilience and general mental health,” he advises.

Mental health matters: Factors essential for students’ well-being include supportive teachers, a caring home environment, positive peer interactions and a disciplined learning environment

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Some schools regularly conduct surveys on well-being to identify those individuals who need additional support and guidance

Some schools regularly conduct surveys on well-being to identify those individuals who need additional support and guidance