Pearson, has today launched its Healthy Happy Schools campaign, which is designed to encourage conversation and create environments that foster positive mental health and wellbeing for schools, staff and the pupils in their care. 

The campaign will provide schools, staff and learners throughout the country with expert advice, information and resources on mental health and wellbeing. This will include the publication of a free Handy Little Guide to Exam Wellbeing this November, with free guidance on embedding a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing published in the new year. 

Pearson's Healthy Happy Schools campaign will support schools to meet the requirements of the new Ofsted Inspection Framework, where schools are now judged on keeping students mentally healthy, nurturing pupil resilience and managing pressure on staff. Speaking about the campaign, Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President for UK schools, said:

At Pearson, we are passionate about creating a culture of positive wellbeing and mental health. As experts in education, learning and mental health assessments, we are committed to supporting schools as they work to build happy and healthy environments for their pupils and staff. 

One in eight children and young people in England under the age of 19 have had at least one mental health disorder, according to 2018 NHS figures. 

The 2018 Teacher Wellbeing Index revealed that 67% of education professionals are stressed and 57% are considering leaving teaching due to health concerns. Meanwhile, research from the Education Support Partnership (ESP) charity found that a third of teachers suffer from mental health problems, with more than half suffering from insomnia. 

As part of the Healthy Happy Schools campaign, Pearson has joined forces with the Evidence Based Practice Unit (EBPU) - a collaboration between The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families and UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences. The EBPU are conducting a research project, ethically approved by UCL, to gain a better understanding of the relationship between contextual factors and wellbeing. The research findings will be published and shared with participating schools to inform planning and support within settings. 

As part of its continued commitment to the campaign, Pearson is: 

• Reducing learning anxiety and building resilience, including the recently launched free online Guide to Tackling Maths Anxiety, developed in partnership with leading experts across education, academia, business and the third sector
• Leading a range of introductory mindfulness sessions at school conferences and events
• Providing free resources, tips and tools during exam times to support learners wellbeing and mental health 
• Partnering with well-known experts, charities and organisations in the mental health sector, including the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, Evidence Based Practice Unit and Child Outcomes Research Consortium (CORC)
• Running mindfulness courses, both face-to-face and online, for colleagues
• Supporting the #HelloYellow campaign by Young Minds charity
• Encouraging active involvement with local activities and campaigns across its regional offices

Pearson is also working with Time to Change to break down the stigma around mental health, and encourage conversation within its own organisation. It has developed a pledge and action-plan, resulting in over 50 Mental Health First Aiders being trained within the UK organisation.

We are committed to reducing the shame that is too often associated with mental health and ensuring that everyone - from our own staff members to those in the schools we work with - feels supported and comfortable talking about mental health issues, in the same way they would a physical illness. There’s always more to do and we welcome the opportunity to work with schools and organisations across the sector, as we continue to take positive steps forward.

Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President for UK schools

Discover more about how Pearson is working to create positive wellbeing and mental health by visiting go.pearson.com/healthyhappyschools or follow @PearsonSchools #healthyhappyschools on Twitter.

For any media enquiries related to this campaign, please contact Jessica Bull  at jbull@consiliumcommunications.co.uk / 07496 727202 or Lisa Church at lchurch@consiliumcommunications.co.uk / 07467 945661.