Student wellbeing: Research shows that the benefits are far-reaching, but implementation is key to success

DR PENELOPE WOOLF, DIRECTOR OF IMPACT AND LEARNING DESIGN, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, UK DR ARIEL LINDORFF, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, UK JANE DIGBY, MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, UK Research indicates that low levels of wellbeing and associated mental health problems can have adverse consequences for the health and development of young peoples. Conversely, students who are happy and healthy are shown to have better concentration, motivation and energy levels, and tend to develop better coping skills for life (Barry et al., 2013). Recent guidance from the Department for Education (DfE, 2022) emphasised that a whole-school approach to supporting students’ wellbeing can help with their learning. While this guidance highlights some of the support available to schools, it cannot go into detail about what a whole-school approach might look like, or how it might be effective in supporting students’ wellbeing and learning. This a