Schools attempt to boost pupils’ mental health in a range of ways, but these are often based on nothing more than anecdotal evidence, research has found.

The research on “mental health fitness approaches used in schools” was carried out for the Department for Education and published today in a summarised form.

It was based on a literature review of approaches currently or recently used by schools, to promote wellbeing, resilience and engagement in learning. 

It finds: “The evidence of effectiveness of interventions used in schools is mixed. While there are a few robust, external evaluations reported in the literature, overall the evidence of effectiveness is patchy, often being based on anecdotal feedback.”

The review identified more than 60 interventions being used by schools, including mindfulness, gardening, music-based activities, relaxation and other stress-reducing activities, and physical activity.

The findings from the review are being used to inform potential evaluation work the department could commission in future, aimed at improving the evidence of effectiveness around school interventions to promote mental wellbeing and positive mental health.