Resources to support mental health and wellbeing

During this time of disruption and uncertainty, prioritising wellbeing and conversations around mental health is of upmost importance, but it can be challenging to do this.

Mental health in lockdown

The pandemic has raised lots of concerns around isolation, anxiety and the lack of stimulation, so it is important to find ways to help support learners who may be struggling with their mental and emotional wellbeing.

If you are concerned about a child, the first thing you should do is raise this with your head of safeguarding at school, outlining your concerns. One way to monitor your learners is to set up regular opportunities for them to check in with you and other learners in a safe space where they feel comfortable to share how they are feeling. You can set up regular email contact with your learners to make sure that they know they have someone who is listening to them.

Another way to look out for learners’ mental health is to encourage them to reflect on the positive elements of lockdown learning. Many learners have flourished while learning remotely as they have not had the stress of attending school in a physical setting. Encourage your learners to reflect on and share what they have learnt from lockdown and see if you can incorporate these techniques into your school policies and classroom practice. You can help your learners reflect on their own wellbeing by:

• providing quiet spaces where they can take a timeout and access mindfulness
• encouraging them to journal and monitor their moods and emotions as they transition back to school.

Mental health and test preparation

Test anxiety and feeling worried about taking exams is very normal. Your learners may be feeling more anxious about taking tests now because of the number of students in the exam hall or because they feel that they have missed out on classroom time. Again, if a child is struggling to cope with their feelings of anxiety around taking the exams you should refer them to your head of wellbeing or your pastoral lead so they can organise support.

We know that taking exams after the pandemic is potentially quite daunting because of the concern that learners have not had enough classroom time. However, it is important to remind learners of what they achieved when learning remotely. It can be a useful exercise to recap all the learning you did as a class and share some successes to help with learner confidence. Another way to capture any worries or concerns your learners have about preparing for their tests is to have dedicated time slots where learners can voice their concerns around certain topics.

If your school organises revision sessions, then reassure your learners that they will have time to revise to prepare for their exams. These can be useful sessions to target specific areas that your learners feel less confident in. If you do not run specific revision sessions, it can be useful to discuss effective revision techniques with your learners to help them focus their time. It is also important that learners find a balance between revision and exam preparation, and taking time to rest. Encourage learners to be mindful of burnout and fatigue, and to take regular breaks in preparation for their exams.