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Mental Health Education
for Secondary Schools and Colleges

Supporting pupils, staff and parents to better understand mental health, build resilience, and feel more confident in knowing when and how to seek support.

AVAILABLE ON-SITE IN SCHOOL

Sessions are designed to fit your school’s needs, from one-off lessons to staff and parent workshops

Our therapist-led sessions create a safe, engaging space where young people can explore real-life challenges and learn practical ways to manage them.

Curriculum-aligned PSHE lessons

Staff training

Parent information workshops

Suitable for mainstream schools, alternative provisions and pupil referral units

Teacher leading a classroom discussion for schools.

Helping schools to deliver wellbeing with confidence

We know that PSHE leads and school leaders are balancing a full timetable, with increasing expectations around mental health education.

Topics need to be handled with care. Content needs to be appropriate. And students need more than just information – they need tools they can actually use.

Our sessions are designed to support schools with this responsibility, offering curriculum-aligned lessons that are both practical and engaging.

CORE SESSION FOR PUPILS

Mental Health and Wellbeing Awareness

A structured, interactive lesson that helps pupils make sense of their mental health in a way that feels accessible, relevant and real.

Two Action4Youth staff members smiling in a school setting.

Duration

45-120 minutes.

Flexible to suit your

timetable and priorities.

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Class Sizes

6-30 pupils.
Class, year group or
whole-school approach.

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Audience

Key Stages 3 & 4.
Ideal for exam season
prep in Years 9–11.

What the session covers

  • What mental health is, and how it’s something we all experience in different ways.

  • How stress can build over time, and how it can affect thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

  • Recognising emotions and early signs that something might not feel quite right.

  • The impact of friendships, social media and everyday pressures.

  • How to seek support for themselves or others, and why this matters.

Practical tools students can try

Students are introduced to simple, realistic strategies they can explore in a way that feels comfortable for them:

  • The stress bucket activity to understand how pressure can build.

  • Breathing techniques such as box breathing to support regulation in the moment.

  • Grounding and mindfulness exercises to help bring attention back to the presen.t

  • Gentle strategies for managing anxious or overwhelming moments.

Throughout the session, there is space for reflection without pressure. Students are encouraged to engage in a way that feels right for them, helping them leave with practical ideas and personal coping strategies they can use in everyday life.

BOLT ON SESSIONS

Additional PSHE Topics

Alongside the core session, we offer additional lessons that can be tailored to suit your pupils and year groups. You can mix and match topics to create a programme that feels right for your school.

1

Body Image and
Self-Esteem

Addressing body image concerns, self-esteem issues, and social media’s impact on body perception.

2

Emotional
Regulation

Developing an understanding
of emotional triggers and learning strategies to manage and respond to emotions effectively.

3

Building
Resilience

Building the skills to
bounce back from setbacks and cope with challenges.

4

Suicide
Prevention

Aligned to the latest DfE PSHE guidance, this session helps students understand suicidal thoughts, talk about them safely, and how to seek help.

5

Managing
Anxiety

Recognising signs of stress and anxiety and learning simple strategies to manage them.

6

Managing Exam Stress and Transitions

Understanding how exams and life changes can affect wellbeing, and exploring practical strategies to stay
calm, focused, and resilient.

All sessions are adapted to suit the age, setting and needs of each group, including mainstream schools and alternative provision such as pupil referral units.

What Students Said

Student stressor responses mentioning exams and future.

Designed with schools in mind

Our sessions support schools to meet key outcomes from the Department for Education guidance, helping pupils to:

  • Understand the link between physical and mental wellbeing

  • Talk about emotions with greater confidence and clarity

  • Recognise when something isn’t right

  • Reduce stigma around mental health

  • Seek support from trusted adults

A safe and inclusive environment

  • We take a trauma-informed and student-centred approach.

  • Clear boundaries and safeguarding awareness throughout.

  • Trigger-aware delivery with appropriate content warnings.

  • Inclusive of neurodiversity (including ADHD-friendly approaches).

  • Use of fidget tools and varied activities to support engagement.

Reflecting on Your Mental Health sheet with pens and candy.

Client Review

Two women smiling before a Mental Health presentation.
Action 4 Youth logo

“Kate has delivered some excellent sessions for our young people on their mental health and well-being delivering to year 8 through to year 13 in a variety of settings, varying the content as appropriate. She has always fully engaged the young people and has innovative ideas for delivery with some hands-on activities. There have been many occasions where young people reflect back to her sessions as making a huge difference to their health and well-being and how the session/s has had a positive impact for them.”

Tracy, Inspiration Programme Manager,
Action4Youth, May 2023

A Crisis We Can’t Ignore

Infographic showing one in five people highlighted.

1 in 5 young people experienced a probable mental health disorder in 2023

20.3% of 8-16 year-olds and 23.3% of 17 to 19 year-olds are affected.

1.3 Million Referrals

The highest number of youth mental health referrals on record was seen last school year.

Circular chart showing 44 percent statistical data.

44% of 19 year-olds with mental health disorders have attempted suicide or self-harmed.

Sources: NHS, 2022, National Centre for Social Research, Young Minds

PRICING GUIDE

Transparent pricing. Tailored to your school.

We know every school is different. Our sessions are flexible and designed to fit your needs, your pupils and your budget. 

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Most schools invest

£450 – £900
 

Pricing depends on:

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Session length

From one-off single period lessons to two-day teacher training

Group size

Tailored to your pupils and staff

The final cost depends on a few key factors, so we can create a package that works for your school. 

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Number of sessions

Discounts available for multiple bookings

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Location

Delivered across the UK on-site and online 

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We're here to help
We aim to keep our sessions accessible and will always work with you to find an option that fits your needs and your budget. 

Let's find the right fit for you


We 're happy to talk through options, answer any questions and check availability. 

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Trusted by schools across the UK  

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Trauma-informed 

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Making a real difference

Tangible Benefits of Mental Health Education

Mental health and wellbeing education that empowers schools to better support the emotional needs of students and staff. By promoting understanding, early intervention, and healthy coping skills, it helps create a positive school culture where wellbeing is prioritised and everyone feels safe, valued, and ready to learn.

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Supports student wellbeing and mental health

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Fosters resilience and emotional growth

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Reduces disruptive behaviour

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Creates a more connected and productive teaching environment

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Enhances school reputation as a supportive, forward-thinking institution

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Empowers students and teachers to help one another

Graphic promoting a free clickable PDF guide from Wellbeing First Aid. The image has a cream background with dark green and navy text reading “Free clickable PDF guide: Mental health support resources for young people.” It describes the guide as a quick reference for teachers, youth workers, parents and carers. Icons highlight topics including urgent help, anxiety and panic, exam stress, self-harm, grief, bullying and trauma, and identity and belonging. A green button says “Download the free guide.” On the right is a preview of the mental health support resource guide, with the Wellbeing First Aid logo in the top corner

PRINTABLE A4 POSTER | INSTANT DOWNLOAD

Free box breathing poster for exam season

A printable poster to help you support pupils who feel overwhelmed before tests or exams.
 

GCSEs and exam season can bring up a lot for young people: pressure, panic, fear of going blank, and the feeling that everything depends on one moment.
 

This free poster gives pupils a simple breathing technique they can use when their body’s alarm system kicks in.
 

Print it for toilet cubicle doors, exam room waiting areas, wellbeing spaces, pastoral offices or noticeboards.

Kate O’Leary

Kate delivers each session with a warm, person-centred approach, creating a space where pupils, staff and parents feel safe, respected and able to engage in a way that feels right for them.

Drawing on both professional training and lived experience, she uses real-life examples, practical activities and gentle discussion to make mental health feel more understandable and less overwhelming.

Sessions are carefully guided, with sensitive topics handled thoughtfully and appropriate support always signposted. Pupils are never put under pressure to share, but are encouraged to reflect, helping them build confidence, understanding and awareness of where support is available.

When mental wellbeing is part of everyday school life, it becomes easier for everyone to feel seen, heard, and able to thrive.

Woman in pink hoodie outside Mark Rutherford School
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