How to develop a well-being framework for your school

Almost one in four students is suffering from a mental health problem - most commonly anxiety, followed by depression. In light of these concerning statistics, it was no surprise that student well-being emerged as a key topic of discussion at our Schools Now! conference earlier this year. In her keynote speech, Dr. Funke Baffour-Awuah talked about how important student well-being is for both academic success and long-term happiness.

Student well-being is of course an important consideration for school leaders. Yet, academic achievement is often prioritised in school policies and initiatives. However, as we learned from Dr. Funke, a well-being framework can help educators to maintain a balanced approach which meets the needs of all learners and helps them to achieve their full potential.

So, let’s explore how you can implement this type of framework at your school. Using Dr. Funke’s talk as inspiration, we’ll look at the benefits of a structured approach to well-being for both schools and learners, and share some ideas on how to approach the design of a well-being framework for your school.

What is a well-being framework?

A well-being framework encompasses all the elements of the curriculum that support a learner’s quality of life. So, as well as their academic performance, it also includes their social interactions, extracurricular activities and anything else related to their mental, emotional and physical health.

As well as offering short-term support, a well-being framework helps to prepare your students for long-term emotional resilience. It should equip your students with the tools required to navigate challenging situations and thrive in every aspect of their lives and education. As a result, each learner can become well-rounded, capable, and robust individuals who make a positive contribution to your school community and achieve their potential. 

Some parents and teachers may be reluctant to prioritise well-being due to the pressure to achieve good grades. However, research shows that it can actually improve academic performance across the school community.

Ways to develop a well-being framework for your school

If you like the sound of a well-being framework, you’re probably curious to know what that looks like in practice. Here’s how you can introduce one at your school:

Assess your learners’ well-being

Conduct regular surveys to get an insight into your learners’ well-being. The results can highlight which students need more support and how you can best address their needs. Sometimes, they can indicate when a student needs immediate support as a matter of urgency. 

As students might excel in some areas, but struggle with others, your questions should cover a range of topics. Design your survey to cover mental, emotional, social and physical well-being. 

The biggest advantage of these surveys is that you will be able to pinpoint where your students need support, allowing you to direct your resources more effectively. However, another benefit is that you can measure the success of your other well-being initiatives as you implement them, by comparing the results of future surveys against your initial baseline.

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Practise early intervention

Implement systems which will help you to identify and support students who may be struggling before these issues escalate. That way, you’ll have the opportunity to offer the support that can avert long-term, permanent consequences.

You can use your results from the survey to identify high-risk situations. Start by setting a baseline score which indicates that students are well across all areas. Then work backwards to determine what kinds of support you should provide at different points. 

Then establish clear protocols for each set of results. You might book a check-in with the counsellor for any student who scores over 70. You might need to arrange an immediate intervention or contact the guardian of any students scoring 85 or above. Where necessary, consult with a mental health professional for the best next steps.

Train your staff

Teachers might not be equipped to deal with every issue. Mental health issues are likely to be beyond their area of expertise. What’s more, they may not be the best people to deal with certain problems that students are experiencing.

So, it’s important to give them the training they’ll need to recognise and manage a range of issues. You can share the best practices to follow in a range of common situations, and which resources are available. As staff won’t be able to handle every situation, also show them how to flag problems and get learners the help they need.

A common example is when a learner becomes disruptive due to grief or trauma. Training can help your teachers feel confident in responding to this behaviour, for example in recognising when disruptive behaviour is an expression of emotional pain, and in setting firm boundaries without distressing the student further. Teachers can then flag the issue to a school leader so the student’s parents are informed and refer them to a specialist if needed.

Give students a voice

The best well-being frameworks address the specific needs and challenges of your learners. While teachers may have some insights into their students’ well-being, they may not have the full perspective. That’s why it’s best to ask students directly and involve them in the well-being framework.

Here are some ways you can collect ideas from learners of different ages:

1. Hold storytelling sessions for young learners based on the idea of the well-being framework.
2. Roleplay different scenarios at the school and ask the class questions about what could’ve been done differently.
3. Display a public ideas board which anyone can write on.
4. Place anonymous suggestion boxes around the building so learners can share their honest thoughts with you.
5. Form a school council where class representatives can talk about common concerns or areas of interest.
6. Organise forums where students can share their perspectives and vote on policies.

Involve everyone in policy-making

In another Schools Now! talk, Pamela O’Brien talked about the role of policymaking in well-being and safeguarding. She said that policies are more likely to positively impact learners when everyone is involved in developing them. 

Pamela talked about attendance to illustrate this idea. Often, students don’t understand why it’s important for them to come to every class - and this can cause real problems when their parents have a relaxed attitude towards attendance. However, when you involve students in writing the attendance policy, it gives them the chance to see the full picture and fosters a sense of accountability. Schools can benefit from this extra perspective.

The most important part of the Attendance Policy is the part which covers communication. We need to fully understand the reasons behind absence and especially when this is persistent as the information can often help us form a picture of how a student is feeling about school. Persistent absence can be greatly reduced when we start to look at the reasons behind the data and talk to the students and their parents. Getting that extra input can help schools ensure that all policies are relevant, comprehensive and effective.

Final thoughts

Most people associate school with academic performance. Dr. Funke’s talk is an important reminder that educators are also responsible for the well-being of their learners. After all, the aim of education isn’t just to generate good exam results. It’s also about equipping our students with the tools they’ll need to navigate the world successfully and build happy, purposeful lives. 

However, this responsibility doesn’t just fall to school leaders. A great well-being framework is a school-wide endeavour, drawing in classroom teachers and students alike to build a happy and supportive school community.
Interested in how to promote well-being at your school? Access more resources from the Online Support for Schools platform or if you’re not a already a Partner School educator, contact us to find out more about becoming one.