New opportunity for mainstream secondary school

The Anna Freud Centre (AFC), who are evaluating the HeadStart programme, are looking for mainstream secondary schools to apply to take part in the Education for Wellbeing research programme to implement and evaluate a range of mental health interventions for pupils in years 7, 8 and 9.

Commissioned by the Department for Education, the programme aims to evaluate pioneering ways of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of school pupils. This cutting-edge research trial is the largest of its kind in England! AFC are already working with around 500 mainstream primary and secondary schools across England as part of Wave 1 and 2 of the programme and are now recruiting over 150 further secondary schools to take part in the final wave of the programme.

They are looking for secondary schools who want to improve the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils to partner with us, one of the UK’s leading evidence-based children’s mental health charities.

Benefits for participating schools

This is a valuable opportunity to introduce whole-class mental health and wellbeing interventions with support from leading experts in child mental health. Potential benefits to taking part include:

• The chance to receive free mental health and wellbeing training for selected school staff
• £1,000 remuneration in recognition of administrative commitments
• An evaluation feedback report for your school
• Contributing to the wider evidence base on what works for school-based mental health support and how it can best be delivered
• A letter of thanks from the Department for Education acknowledging your school’s important role in this project.

To apply for Education for Wellbeing

To find out more about the programme, including whether your school is eligible and what is required, please visit the Anna Freud Centre website or complete the online expression of interest form. Eligible schools will be selected on a first-come first-served basis, so apply now!

If you have any questions or would like to find out more, please email EducationForWellbeing@annafreud.org.