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

Since 2020, state-funded primary schools in England have been required to teach pupils about mental wellbeing as part of statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE). 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 across all nine regions of England took part in a brief mixed-methods survey that aimed to capture current practice, challenges and needs in 2023. Participants commonly reported prioritising promoting emotional literacy, emotion regulation, support seeking, online safety and social connection, but also reported that limited curriculum time and resources presented a barrier to teaching pupils about mental health and 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 additional curriculum time and access to affordable resources, training and support aimed at enabling them to teach evidence-based lessons on mental health and wellbeing as part of a wider RSHE curriculum and whole school approach to promoting mental health and wellbeing.