The separation of wellbeing and academic outcomes is a “zero-sum game”, according to Willem Kuyken.

Speaking to Tes and featured in today’s free-to-read wellbeing special issue, the University of Oxford’s Ritblat professor of mindfulness and psychological sciences says the two strands “go hand in hand” and should be in “the fabric of every moment of the school day”.

“What I hear from teachers is that wellbeing needs to be woven into every interaction, every meeting, every classroom,” says Kuyken.

“I think we’ve seen that, with programmes that address bullying or programmes that address behaviour problems in classrooms, we know they have to be part of the whole culture of the school. We know that an anti-bullying lecture once a term is not enough.”

Listen to the full interview on the Tes podcast: 

Speaking ahead of his keynote speech at this year’s E-ACT Ideas Conference, in partnership with Tes, the professor also suggests that there is only so much schools can do when it comes to student mental health.

Read the full interview: Willem Kuyken: what works for wellbeing?

Listen to the full interview: Tes podcast - wellbeing special  

Read: The free wellbeing special issue of Tes magazine 

“One of the papers that we published earlier this year was looking at the mental health and wellbeing of all the children in our trials.

“The thing that I found quite sobering, and I think might be very reassuring for schools, is that the amount of variance in the children’s mental health and wellbeing that was carried by schools was only between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent.

“That means that much of the variance in mental health and wellbeing of children is coming from forces outside of the school. That’s not to say that schools can’t make a difference to wellbeing - they do and can. But actually, it’s OK for headteachers and school staff to give themselves a break - there is only so much they can do.”

Professor Willem Kuyken will be speaking at the E-ACT Ideas Conference: Mental Health in Schools - Where Next?, in partnership with Tes, on 7 October 2021. Find out more and register for free