The advantage of a statutory mental health lead role in education.
PBE’s new report reveals the link between GCSE results and mental health.
A new report released by the charity PBE critically examines the link between academic attainment and mental health following the release of this year’s GCSE results.
“Wellbeing boosts life chances. When children feel mentally well, they do better at school, build stronger relationships and reach their life-long potential. This report provides new evidence and analysis of the long-term economic benefits of investing early in children’s mental health.”
Key Takeaways from the report:
- Overall, the mental health of children in the UK is steadily getting worse in the period between 2011 – 2022
- Reversing the trend in declining mental health could improve total GCSE attainment by 0.1-1.6 grades, reduce the likelihood of needing SEN support and reduce the likelihood of being excluded from school
- Improving mental health could deliver lifetime economic benefits through improved earnings, avoided exclusion costs and redistributed SEN support
Should the DfE move beyond guidance and fully endorse a statutory mental health role?
We know that the mental health of children in the UK has been steadily declining in the last decade, with the pandemic speeding this decline in recent years. Despite the introduction the role of the mental health lead in schools following the green paper ‘“Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision”, the government has not introduced any statutory measures to support mental health and wellbeing in schools. The role of the mental health lead features in the DfE Guidance for mentally healthy schools but there is still no statutory role for mental health support despite recent discussions.
The Case for Statutory Measures
There is existing government initiatives to support mental health and wellbeing being rolled out this academic year, such as the increased funding to MHSTs through the ‘plan for change’ and the aim to improve outcomes for young people. The current voluntary approach to mental health education has meant that schools can choose to have an excellent provision or may fail in providing adequate support. By introducing a statutory role, the DfE would ensure consistency and quality across all schools, guaranteeing that every child receives the foundational knowledge and skills they need to navigate their mental health.
The knock on effect of teaching mental health:
Academic Attainment: Small improvements in a child’s mental health can lead to significant gains in academic performance. A one-point improvement in the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) score can raise GCSE attainment by 0.2 to 0.6 grades. This isn’t just about test scores; it’s about giving every student the best chance to reach their potential.
Educational Equality: Better mental health is also linked to a reduced need for Special Educational Needs (SEN) support and fewer school exclusions. By proactively addressing mental wellbeing, a statutory curriculum could help level the playing field, making education more accessible and equitable for all students, particularly those with complex needs.
Future Economic Prosperity: The benefits extend far beyond the school gates. Childhood psychological problems cast a “long shadow” on adult life, leading to 14-28% lower lifetime incomes. A one-grade improvement in GCSE attainment can lead to an average increase of £8,500 in lifetime earnings. Mandating mental health education is not just a social good; it’s a sound economic investment in the nation’s future. Reversing the decade-long decline in children’s mental health could generate an economic benefit of nearly £5,300 per child over their lifetime.
A Strategic Imperative for the DfE
The evidence supporting the need to move to a compulsory, well-resourced mental health curriculum continues to present itself in continued feedback, reports and statistics. A top 5 Global Health concern, mental health affects us all, and needs treating as seriously as any other core subject in it’s formative influence. As the report from PBE suggests, we would not see changes in just one area but in a number of problem issues for schools such as absenteeism, poor pupil behaviour and funding. With a strong mental health curriculum, research has shown it would be possible to improve outcomes for children with SEN, create more opportunities for early intervention and increase awareness for the whole school community.
What can you do to improve mental health?
The role of the mental health lead in a school community is multi-faceted and offers the support of a whole-school mental health and wellbeing strategy. The DfE recommend training a mental health lead, and offered a funded programme up until 2024 so schools could access a training grant. AMHIE is one of a small number of organisations still offering highly rated mental health lead training following the DfE’s 8 principles for mentally healthy schools. To help support schools with the funding required for this training, we offer a 30% discount to our members on any training booking. You can find details of our upcoming training here: