The Story Project has been awarded a new £510,000 investment from SHINE to expand its transformative programme to nursery, primary and secondary schools across Bradford over the next three years.

The new funding follows the publication of a second annual independent evaluation, which found that children across Bradford who used The Story Project saw marked improvements in their wellbeing, emotional literacy and empathy, alongside gains in reading skills.

The grant will enable schools that were not part of the original SHINE-funded pilot to implement The Story Project in their classrooms, with the ambition of reaching 150 Bradford nursery, primary and secondary schools by July 2029.

The wellbeing levels of Bradford’s children and young people demonstrate the need for interventions like The Story Project.

The Born in Bradford project has found a significant proportion of Bradford teenagers report clinical threshold levels of anxiety, depression, and eating disorders, with many also reporting self-harm.

Meanwhile, teenagers as young as 13 years old in the city use social media apps for three hours every day on average and one-in-three Bradford children don’t play outdoors after school.

Olivia Richards, founder of The Story Project, said: “It has been a privilege to work alongside so many fantastic teachers in Bradford to help improve children’s wellbeing and literacy. We are thrilled with the impact the programme is having in the area and look forward to continuing to support more children across the next three years too.”

A newly published ImpactEd evaluation gathered evidence from 997 pupils and 53 teachers across 12 primary schools participating in the Bradford pilot programme.

Tracking progress from 2023 to 2025, the evaluation compared year-on-year data as the programme became more deeply embedded in schools.

ImpactEd concluded children who used The Story Project saw a significant improvement in wellbeing outcomes across multiple measures. It found pupils’ emotional and wellbeing vocabulary had clearly improved, enabling them to navigate the world more openly and begin to solve their own emotional challenges.

Teacher ratings of pupils’ wellbeing and emotional vocabulary as Good or Excellent rose from 27.8 per cent to 85.5 per cent, while ratings for the quality of wellbeing discussions increased from 48.2 per cent to 92.7 per cent.

The proportion of pupils who knew who to approach for help increased from 60.9 per cent to 73.0 per cent.

Teacher ratings of pupils’ empathy as Good or Excellent rose from 21.8 per cent to 71.6 per cent.

Perceived literacy gains were also significant, with teachers rating reading and comprehension skills as Good or Excellent increasing from 34.6 per cent before the programme to 64.5 per cent afterwards.

Teachers also reported that pupils were more willing to share feelings and reflect on their own lives through stories.

The evaluation found that teachers benefitted substantially from implementing the programme, reporting increased confidence and competence in supporting pupil wellbeing.

The proportion of teachers who agreed they understood how to reduce gaps in pupils’ wellbeing knowledge rose from 45.3 per cent to 86.8 per cent, and those who felt equipped to handle challenging PSHE and RSHE discussions increased by 50.9 percentage points.

Teachers described embedding The Story Project’s strategies beyond designated sessions, adapting lesson planning structures for subjects including English and RE, and using resources across the wider curriculum.

A member of the Education Advisor Team at Bradford Council said schools found the resources to be of high quality and reported that the programme had reduced workload while positively impacting children’s confidence and use of language.

Teachers described the approach as transformative. One Bradford teacher said it had boosted children’s confidence in speaking and listening, enriched their vocabulary and fostered a love of reading, while another described a ripple effect with a profound impact on resilience and aspirations.

Pupils themselves reported what they had learned from The Story Project. A Year 2 pupil shared: “It’s OK to make mistakes… Sometimes you just need to talk to someone.” A Year 5 pupil reflected: “Mental well-being is basically just taking care of your mind… [The mind] is just as important.”

The Story Project uses story-based learning to build children’s wellbeing and literacy skills. Through teacher training and high-quality resources linked to diverse children’s books, the programme enables structured exploration of characters and emotions.

By using stories to create safe spaces for discussion, pupils learn to understand, manage and express complex emotions while addressing real-life issues such as bereavement, online safety and financial worries.

Fiona Spellman, CEO of SHINE, said: “The recent schools White Paper makes clear the need to ensure a broader range of challenges can be met in the classroom. The Story Project offers practical, affordable ways for schools to unlock the keys to pupil success, with the latest evaluation showing powerful gains in pupils’ emotional vocabulary, empathy and confidence, as well as encouraging feedback from teachers regarding literacy gains.

“We are very excited to be able to expand this programme across Bradford over the coming years, as well as build on the rigour of the evidence collated so far.”

The Zen Bus is a bright yellow, converted American school bus transformed into a calm, nurturing and inclusive space to provide a sanctuary for reflection, emotional regulation and mental well-being.

The bus will travel to schools in Havant, Cardiff and London offering guided mindfulness sessions, breathwork, sound healing and grounding practices to children and teachers at an age-appropriate level. Research from the University of Waterloo (2017) shows that even short mindfulness practices can alter brainwaves, helping reduce anxious thought patterns while improving focus, emotional regulation and resilience.

This comes at a time when children, teachers and school support staff face unprecedented pressures. According to Place2Be, 95% of UK school staff members have witnessed an increase in pupil anxiety in the past year, while a survey from NHS England reveals that one in five children and young people had a probable mental disorder in 2023.

Kelly Osborne, Head of Health and Wellbeing at Wates Group, said: “We believe every young person deserves to feel supported, empowered and able to thrive. Our continued partnership with The Zen Project reflects our commitment to our purpose, working together to reimagine places for people to thrive. This is our fourth year supporting the Zen Bus, and each year we see the positive effect of taking practical mental health tools to young people and their teachers. We’re incredibly proud to play a part in making that possible.”

Corinne Gardner, Founder of The Zen Project, said: “The Zen Bus makes simple tools fun and helps children to start their journey to calm. We are passionate about creating a nurturing space to allow for rest and play all at once. We give children and teachers tools they can use anywhere – from classrooms to playgrounds.”

TfL’s Travel for Life programme supports the next generation of Londoners to travel towards a brighter, safer and more sustainable future. By completing activities that promote walking and cycling to school and the safe use of public transport, primary and secondary schools can become Bronze, Silver or Gold accredited. The programme is administered by London Transport Museum in partnership with London’s Borough Officers.

To achieve Gold accreditation, a school must have reduced car use by six per cent or achieved 90 per cent of the school run being made using sustainable transport. The number of schools awarded Gold in 2024 was 735, a 10 per cent increase compared to 2023.

Bromley currently has the largest proportion of Gold schools, at an impressive 63 per cent, followed by Islington at 49 per cent and Havering at 45 per cent. Meanwhile Waltham Forest currently has the largest overall number of schools participating in the TfL Travel for Life programme, with 81 per cent of its schools involved. Bromley and Islington also have large numbers of schools participating, with 74 and 71 per cent of schools respectively.

St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in Brent recently achieved Gold accreditation, having only signed up to TfL Travel for Life in March 2023. With a motto “swap the ride for a park for a park and stride,” the school is taking several actions including measuring the air quality in its immediate surroundings, holding assemblies and creating a podcast on active travel.

TfL Citizens, delivered by London Transport Museum, is one of the five TfL Travel for Life programmes and is for children aged 10-11. It now has more than 100,000 pupils and 91 per cent of London schools taking part, preparing children for travelling to secondary school and teaching skills such as journey planning.

Numerous studies point to the health benefits of walking and cycling to school, with national charity Living Streets citing improvements in mood and behaviour in children who travel on foot. With the Government’s target for 55 per cent of primary school aged children walking to school by 2025, TfL is calling on London schools not currently participating in TfL Travel for Life to sign up to the scheme, to reap the benefits of better air quality and improved health.

Fewer parents driving children to school also improves road safety, as TfL works to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London’s transport network as part of its Vision Zero programme. Following several measures taken by TfL, there has been sustained improvement in safety for under-16s on London’s roads. In 2023, the number of children killed or seriously injured on London’s roads was reduced by 40 per cent against TfL’s 2010-14 baseline.

Pupils around the globe will walk to school to celebrate International Walk to School Month. In the UK, children in certain schools are enjoying the benefits of active travel year-round because they take part in WOW – the walk to school challenge from Living Streets.

WOW sees pupils record how they get to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker with those who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot to school being awarded a monthly WOW badge. Pupils can also earn a badge by using ‘Park and Stride’, parking at least 10 minutes from their school and walking the rest of the way.

The latest national data shows that less than half of primary school children in England walk to school, but that is not the case in schools taking part in WOW with Living Streets. New analysis of WOW Travel Tracker data shows that WOW schools in England typically see an increase in walking and wheeling rates of 17 per cent with 60 per cent fewer cars driving to the school gates compared to before the schools started WOW.

Walking to school helps contribute to the 60 active minutes a day recommended by health experts to keep children healthy and happy. Similarly, parents/carers accompanying them benefit from reduced risk of long-term chronic health conditions such as certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Active Travel England funds some schools in England to take part in WOW through Living Streets’ Walk to School Outreach programme.

Former Olympian, Chris Boardman OBE, is the National Active Travel Commissioner. He said: “The majority of kids have told us they want to walk, wheel, scoot and cycle to school – it’s what they want, and it’s what we want for them. Walk to School Month offers us an opportunity to try travelling differently, and if it sticks, we can give a new generation the transport independence they deserve.

“I encourage all parents and pupils to give it a go to help reduce congestion around the school gates and kick start the greener, healthier school run we need.”

Catherine Woodhead, Chief Executive, Living Streets, said: “International Walk to School Month is a great opportunity for families to try walking to school. We hope that the benefits they experience will see them choosing to walk or wheel more all year-round.

“Recent National Travel Survey data revealed that over a fifth (22 percent) of parents of children who do not currently walk to school said that safer roads would encourage them to walk to school more often. Nearly one in ten (9 per cent) said more safer crossing points would help them choose to walk more.

“We’re campaigning to make Britain’s streets child friendly by tackling deterrents like pavement parking and dangerous crossings. But we need support to be able to continue this work. Visit our website to donate to our urgent appeal and help secure a future where streets work for everyone.”

For more information about WOW and how to get the scheme in your school, visit https://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school/

More than 11,000 education professionals across England – teachers, leaders, administrators, teaching assistants and maintenance staff – were surveyed about their wellbeing in the current academic year (Sept 2023 – March 2024).

The gulf between the overall wellbeing of teachers and school leaders is stark, with double the number of teachers (32%) reporting not feeling well mentally or physically, compared to leaders (15%).

Furthermore, just over half of leaders (52%) reported feeling well mentally and physically but for teachers this reduced to just a third (32%).

Teachers are most likely to report feeling overworked, with two thirds (63%) reporting they felt overworked very or quite often in the first half of the 2023/2024 academic year. Those in a leadership role are the second most likely group to feel overworked very or quite often, with half (50%) responding so, but still lag some way behind teachers.

Although leaders scored the highest in overall wellbeing measures, they were still the second most stressed group, with 43% saying they felt stressed very often or quite often compared to 52% of teachers. However, access to help was easier for senior leaders than teachers, with two thirds (63%) reporting it was easy to get support for their mental and emotional wellbeing, compared to just a third of teachers (35%).

Edurio’s report focuses on six wellbeing measures – overall wellbeing, quality of sleep, stress, overwork, getting support with mental and emotional wellbeing, and how excited they felt about their work. Teachers scored the lowest in five of these measures.

Overall, the research found worrying trends across the school’s workforce. Fewer than 4 in 10 (38%) of all participants reported feeling well, and a quarter (25%) reported feeling not very well or not well at all. More than half (56%) reported feeling stressed very often or quite often, while fewer than 1 in 10 (9%) were rarely or never stressed.

But amidst reports of stress, overwork and health concerns there are points of light. More than half (54%) of teachers reported often feeling excited by the work that they do – the only wellbeing measure where they were not the least positive. Most positive were leadership staff, at 77%, while administrative staff were the least excited by their work, with 43% saying they were excited by their work very or quite often.

The issues raised by the research were echoed in comments from respondents. “The job had become more and more exhausting,” said one, adding: “It is impacting me mentally and my private life with my family.” Another commented: “Everyone is always complaining of feeling knackered or burnt out. I am not alone,” while another added: “Due to workload I feel like I am just surviving and spinning plates.”

There were positive comments about the pleasure of working with children and young people but even some of these had unhappy undertones. One teacher wrote: “There are some moments in the classroom which remind me why I wanted to do this job, but I have to say, over the last few years the negatives of the job have started to outweigh the positives.”

Jonny Uttley, CEO of the Education Alliance multi-academy trust in East Yorkshire, said Edurio’s findings “painted a difficult picture about staff working in schools and their lived experience.”

He said: “It shows the scale of challenge for school leaders, the education system and for policymakers because wellbeing and how people feel about their work is directly linked to risks around retention and the crisis around recruitment.

“The most disappointing, and surprising, finding for me is that just 9% of teachers say they rarely or never feel stressed, which is a real concern.

“The fact that staff continue to feel excited by their work and have a strong sense of purpose gives me some optimism, but this does underline the fact that the school system has survived through the intrinsic motivation of its staff for a long time now and fundamental issues need to be addressed.

“Change will come if policymakers look at what externally generates workload, including the current accountability system, but it’s also down to leaders to create healthier leadership and work cultures in schools.”

Wellbeing for staff members when defined by protected characteristics

The research also revealed some significant contrasts in levels of wellbeing between staff members when defined by their protected characteristics:

• Just a fifth (21%) of disabled staff reported feeling very or quite well, much lower than non-disabled staff where two fifths (43%) felt well. Disabled staff also reported higher stress levels – 56% were very often or quite often stressed, compared to 44% of non-disabled staff.
• LGBTQ+ staff were more likely to have felt stressed (54%) compared to heterosexual staff (46%). LGBTQ+ staff also scored their overall wellbeing lower, with 1 in 3 (33%) reporting feeling not very well or not well at all, compared to 24% of heterosexual staff.
• Women were more likely to report feeling stressed (47%) than men (42%) and less likely to say they felt well (39% compared to 46% of men).
• Staff who are parents reported higher levels of overall wellbeing, lower levels of stress and workload, and were more likely to report feeling excited by their work. However, they did report lower quality of sleep than non-parent staff. These findings are likely linked to the age and role of respondents.
• Respondents with another gender identity experienced worse wellbeing levels than other groups in all measures. Although the sample was small (41 respondents representing 0.7% of the total 11,000 participants) 70% of staff in this group said they had felt stressed often lately, while 27% said they had found it difficult to get support for their mental wellbeing, compared to 16% of women and 17% of men.

The research data revealed no clear relationship between wellbeing and ethnicity, with staff of different ethnic groups showing no significant differences across the measures.

Iona Jackson, Head of Insights at Edurio said: “Staff wellbeing has been an ever-pressing issue due to the recruitment and retention crisis in the education sector. So, it is vital to understand the lived experience of staff working in education today as it relates to their wellbeing so that we can find solutions and provide support to enhance wellbeing across the education sector.

“The aim of this report is to give school and trust leaders the information they need to create workplaces for their employees that support, take into account varying needs, and provide fulfilment for educating and raising future generations.”

John Murphy, education leadership mentor and former CEO of the 54-school multi-academy trust Oasis Community Learning, said the report was “concerning”.

“The pressures of the accountability system are undoubtedly part of the picture, along with the aftermath of covid which has left a trail of ill health as well as anxiety about health,” he said.

“Teachers want to be – and are ­– society builders but we do not focus enough on helping them and other educational professionals to have happy and healthy lives. If that is properly addressed, they will be in a far better position to help children flourish.

“A systematic approach to reducing pressures on teachers including workload has to be a bigger priority, Smart approaches such as standardised curriculum planning reduces teacher workload and allows teachers to focus more on pedagogy. This professional freedom within a supportive framework approach has to be one of the ways we will help to lessen these pressures.

“Schools are not islands; working together and sharing evidence-based approaches will also raise the status of reaching and attract more people into this great profession.”

The letters have been sent ahead of mayoral elections on 2^nd May to call on all candidates across the UK to support nationwide action to extend free school meals. The 87 signatories include celebrity chefs Tom Kerridge and Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, as well as NGOs, academics, councillors, doctors and health organisations including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal Society of Public Health, the Association of Directors of Public Health and the National Education Union. 

There are 900,000 children living in poverty in England who are missing out on national eligibility for Free School Meals. It is unfair that all primary school children in London receive a free hot meal at lunchtime, with the same being rolled out in Scotland and Wales, while there are so many children across the rest of England who are living in poverty without getting the same level of essential support. Outside of London, only children from households with an income below £7,400 a year (after tax, before benefits) are eligible; a threshold that has not increased since 2018. 

New polling commissioned by The Food Foundation and published today has found that support for FSM is high across areas that will be voting for metro mayors next week:

• In the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) 79% of people support expanding Free School Meals to more children, while 73% support expanding the current scheme to all children
• In Yorkshire 73% of people support expanding Free School Meals to more children, while 67% support expanding the current scheme to all children.
• In Liverpool City Region Combined Authority 80% of people support expanding Free School Meals to more children, while 75% support expanding the current scheme to all children.

Good nutrition in childhood should be non-negotiable; without it, not only do health outcomes worsen, placing extra pressure on the NHS but so do children’s life chances.  1 in 3 children are leaving primary school with an unhealthy weight and 1 in 5 households with children are currently experiencing food insecurity in the UK. FSM can ensure that all school children can benefit from a hot nutritious meal at lunchtime, helping to protect them from food insecurity, to be healthier and happier, able to do better in school and in the long-term, earn more over their lifetime. 

If Free School Meals were extended to all children, for every £1 invested, £1.71 would be generated in core benefits driven by improved health, education and employment outcomes.  

Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation, said, “As the transformative potential of free school meals is being increasingly recognised in London, we are calling for the scheme to be expanded nationwide to bring an end to the postcode lottery. Every child deserves access to healthy, nutritious food regardless of where they live. As we approach the 2024 general election, we urge all national political parties and metro mayors to pledge to do what’s right and ensure that no child in England is left to go hungry at school.” 

Celebrity Chef and Campaigner Tom Kerridge, said, “We need to end the postcode lottery in Free School Meals now. Every child should have a hot meal at lunchtime. Free School Meals provide a vital safety net for families struggling in the current cost of living crisis and policy makers need to commit to making sure every child in the UK can benefit, learn and go on to reach their potential’ 

Celebrity Chef and Campaigner Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall, said, “Introducing free school meals for every primary school child in London has been an amazing policy initiative from Sadiq Kahn, making a real difference to children’s health and learning in the capital. It’s brilliant that he’s committed to making that a permanent policy in his manifesto. And it would be even more brilliant if it was expanded across England, so that all children can receive a nutritious meal at school to help them concentrate, thrive at school, and reach their potential.” 

Paul McDonald, Chief Campaigns Officer at Health Equals: “Our childhood shapes our future health, and poverty is one of the biggest risks to children’s health. Free school meals will help protect children from poverty and provide them with a nutritious meal which will help them grow, learn better at school and have more opportunity to thrive. Providing free school meals is investing in our children’s future to give them every opportunity for a healthy and prosperous life.”

On May 16^th between 1pm and 2.30pm an online panel discussion of key industry figures from the education community and organisations supporting young people will be discussing the social environment surrounding young people, what is impacting their mental health and what more can be done to support wellbeing in UK universities, colleges, and secondary schools.

Panel members will also be discussing challenges such as current gaps and solutions for wellbeing provision and what needs to change to ensure young people, teachers and caregivers have swift and reliable access to wellbeing support.

Panel members include:

• Munira Wilson MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Education (dependent upon parliamentary business)
• Elizabeth Milovidov, Senior Corporate Counsel, supporting The LEGO Group as a trusted leader in implementing and promoting digital child safety, rights, and well-being
• Hannah Kinsey, Head of Training and Service Design, YoungMinds
• Rose Stephenson, Director of Policy and Advocacy at The Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI)
• Sara Gallagher, Head of Student Wellbeing Services, Bath Spa University
• Richard Krytowycz, Senior Clinical Development Manager, Health Assured

The panel discussion will of interest to primary and secondary schools, HE & FE establishments, including student unions, and accommodation providers, associations and charities involved in supporting young people in education, students, and their parents.

Reasons to join this event

• Listen to key industry influencers as they share their unique perspective on the wellbeing challenges experienced by young people and their support systems
• The panel will consider the importance of early intervention and how this can be achieved
• Discussion on how to unlock new opportunities for supporting young people’s wellbeing, as well as for those overseeing their welfare
• Join in the conversation and ask the panel your question

The event is being hosted by leading education specialist, Endsleigh, part of Howden, the global insurance group. Endsleigh has almost 60 years providing the education community with innovative solutions including providing mental health and wellbeing support for more than one million students.

You can register to attend and submit your question to the panel here.

The game introduces primary aged children (7-11yr olds) to the basics of online safety in a fun and interactive way. Four to six players compete to make their way across the game board, in an online safety quest. Along the way, players respond to various situations described on the games’ ‘Online Safety Scenario’ cards, and are reminded about ways to stay safe by reading out the game’s ‘Online Safety Pledge’ cards.

Scenarios highlight situations children may well face in their real, every day, digital lives, for example, ‘While playing a game someone asks you for your real name. What is the safe thing to do?’. These are paired with advice on how to be a responsible digital explorer, ‘I will be a good online friend by respecting others’ feelings and ideas’.

Players try to land on bonus spaces on the game board, such as  ‘Reported bullying – move forward 2 spaces’, while dodging penalty spots – ‘No Wi-Fi – Miss a go’. This downloadable game features a game board illustrated with LGfL’s stylized graphics, card packs and additional blank card templates so children can add their own content to the game.

For more information and to download the game, please visit https://digitalexplorers.lgfl.net

The conference will take place Friday 28th June 2024, from 09:30 – 16:00 at Venue Manchester, The Panorama Suite, 11 Portland St, Manchester M1 3HU.

Organised by the team behind the annual Tes SEND Show in London, this conference has been developed in response to requests for local events in the North of England to help manage national issues, locally.

 The sessions will cover the full 0 – 25 age range and are aimed at:

• Headteachers
• Local Authority staff
• SENCOs and members of the SLT
• Governors
• Curriculum / Subject Leads
• Early Years Staff, Teaching Assistants and Support Staff
• Health and Social Care practitioners
• CEOs of Trusts

SEND and Alternative Provision are going to be hot topics in the run up to the General Election. This event will help you to:

• Engage with the SEND and Alternative Provision Improvement Plan and be part of the solution
• Be proactive in moving strategy and practice forward while retaining the best of what you already do
• Support the work of the change programme’s regional expert partnerships
• Find solutions that really work and seize the opportunity to positively influence outcomes
• Collaborate with local stakeholders to deliver local solutions and network with local peers

Children in classrooms right across the country are facing extraordinary challenges and staff need the right support and training to understand and respond appropriately to their needs. This is a key opportunity to hear from experts and learn from settings that are developing good practice.

Speakers include:

Liz Franey, Deputy Director, SEND Systems, Outcomes and Experiences Division, DfE

Janet Collins, Head of Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools, DfE

Ben Solly, Principal, Uppingham Community College, Rutland

Dr Geraldine Codina, Associate Professor of Inclusion and Special Educational Needs and Disability (ISEND), University of Derby

To view the full programme and to register visit sendprovision.com

Early bird rate: £195 before 17^th May

Full rate: £245