How to Build a Positive Mental Health Culture in Your School: 5 Practical Steps
Creating a school culture that prioritises mental health doesn’t need to involve big budgets or lengthy projects. Often, small changes in daily practice and environment can make a meaningful difference to pupils’ wellbeing – and to staff too. Here are five practical actions schools can implement right away this term to help create a mentally […]
The Lionesses: Inspiring a Generation and Supporting School Mental Health
As champions on the pitch, the Lionesses have transformed more than just women’s football. Their success offers a timely and inspiring case study for educators, school leaders, and mental health specialists working to foster whole-school approaches to wellbeing. At Minds Ahead, we believe in the power of positive representation, resilience, and collective joy—and the Lionesses […]
EBSA and the Mental Health Crisis: why schools must not normalise rising distress
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead. Across the country, schools are reporting a rise in emotionally driven absence. More pupils are struggling to attend school, not because they don’t want to learn, but because they feel emotionally overwhelmed. This is often described as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), and while the terminology varies, […]
Whole School Approach to Mental Health: What’s Working, What’s Missing, and What’s Next in 2025
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead. Quick Summary: Whole School Mental Health in 2025 85% of schools report implementing a whole school approach Key gaps: parent engagement, tracking impact, referrals Minds Ahead calls for national leadership, long-term funding and strategic guidance Learn more: Explore Our School Mental Health Framework A decade ago, […]
Why It’s Time for a National Focus on Early Years Mental Health
The Government’s Best Start in Life strategy signals a long-awaited investment in babies, young children and their families. From expanded childcare entitlements to new Best Start Family Hubs, this is a bold and necessary re-commitment to early childhood. At Minds Ahead, we welcome the ambition. But if this strategy is truly to succeed in giving […]
Beyond Borders: What Indonesia’s ‘Connect to Care’ Programme Can Teach UK Schools About Mental Health
At Minds Ahead, we believe that improving mental health in schools is a global mission. While every education system has its own context, the core challenge is the same: how can we equip schools to become truly mentally healthy spaces for all children and staff? A recent blog on the Mental Health Innovation Network introduced us to […]
From Insight to Action: How Schools Can Respond to the Children’s Commissioner’s Call on Mental Health and Poverty
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead In July 2025, the Children’s Commissioner released a stark report: Growing Up in a Low-Income Family. The findings were confronting—children describing shame, hunger, overcrowding, and fear. But they also pointed towards solutions. This blog is a direct response to that call. We ask:What can schools […]
Mental Health in Schools: We Can’t Ignore What’s Really Going On
Written by Dean Johnstone, CEO and Founder of Minds Ahead “Schools can’t solve poverty. But they can change lives.” “I felt lesser. Ashamed. Exposed. And unsafe.” I grew up in poverty. I know what it means to feel less than, to carry a quiet shame about the things you can’t afford, the places you can’t […]
It’s OK to Cry: What Rachel Reeves’ Tears Taught Us About Leadership, Mental Health and Education
When Chancellor Rachel Reeves became visibly emotional during Prime Minister’s Questions, it sparked headlines, opinions, and, for many, a moment of deep resonance. In a society that often treats emotion as weakness, especially in public life, her tears told a different story. They reminded us that emotions are not flaws to be hidden, but truths […]
Why Schools Need Mental Health Qualifications — Not Just Training
In schools across the UK and beyond, the mental health needs of pupils and staff continue to grow. In response, many school leaders are rightly looking for ways to strengthen wellbeing support — often turning to short training sessions, toolkits, or one-off CPD days. While these approaches can help raise awareness, they rarely lead to […]