Ask any teacher why they went into education, and most will say they wanted to make a difference. Yet, in schools worldwide, a critical factor influencing student success, teacher retention, and overall school culture is wellbeing, yet it is still seen as an afterthought.
Despite wellbeing now being a measurable factor in school inspections, many educators struggle to embed it into daily practice. Not because they don’t care, but because structural barriers make it difficult to prioritise.
One of the biggest challenges is time. Teachers are already stretched thin, balancing packed timetables, endless marking, and admin-heavy workloads. Wellbeing is often seen as “one more thing” rather than an essential part of the school day. Research from the Education Support Partnership shows that over 75% of teachers report experiencing stress and burnout due to workload, and over 50% consider leaving the profession entirely. If teachers are overwhelmed, how can they effectively model and implement wellbeing strategies for students?
Wellbeing isn’t just about feel-good moments or mindfulness breaks; it’s about reducing stress, Wellbeing isn’t just about feel-good moments or mindfulness breaks; it’s about reducing stress, building emotional resilience, and fostering a school culture where students and staff can thrive. building emotional resilience, and fostering a school culture where students and staff can thrive. When wellbeing is embedded into the curriculum rather than treated as a standalone initiative, schools see a reduction in behaviour issues, improved attendance, and better academic outcomes. The real issue isn’t that teachers don’t want to focus on wellbeing, it’s that wellbeing is treated as a separate initiative rather than a core component of effective teaching. If schools continue to view it as an additional task rather than a necessary strategy for student success, it will never receive the time and attention it deserves. To truly integrate wellbeing, we must challenge the assumption that it requires extra time. Instead, it should be part of how we teach, interact with students, and build our school culture.
Another key barrier is the perception that wellbeing and academic progress are unrelated. Many school leaders prioritise attainment above all else, often asking whether focusing on wellbeing will improve results. If they don’t see a clear academic benefit, wellbeing gets sidelined. Yet a growing body of research, including studies from the Education Endowment Foundation, shows that schools that prioritise wellbeing see significant improvements in student outcomes. Students with higher emotional intelligence and resilience perform better academically because they are more engaged, more motivated, and less likely to be absent due to stress or anxiety.
The link between wellbeing and attainment isn’t just a theory, it’s backed by neuroscience. When students are stressed, their brains release cortisol, which impairs memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities. On the other hand, when students feel safe and supported, their brains are in an optimal state for learning. Despite this, many schools continue to separate wellbeing from academic success rather than viewing it as the foundation for learning. Schools invest heavily in intervention programs, core subject frameworks , and data tracking but often ignore the role of emotional regulation, self-esteem, and mental resilience in student progress. If school leaders understood that wellbeing isn’t a distraction from academic success but a catalyst for it, they would be more inclined to integrate it into their daily practice.
Beyond time constraints and academic pressures, another significant challenge is the lack of training and pedagogical guidance. Most teachers were never trained to teach wellbeing or incorporate it into their lessons. They may understand its importance, but without clear guidance, many don’t know where to start. A report from the Department for Education found that while over 80% of teachers agree that wellbeing is crucial, less than 20% feel they have received adequate training to support student mental health. If we expect teachers to integrate wellbeing, we need to equip them with practical strategies. Wellbeing shouldn’t rely on teachers figuring it out on their own, it should be built into initial teacher training, professional development, and school policies. Many schools purchase expensive wellbeing programs or apps, but without teacher training and a whole-school approach, these tools fail to have a long-term impact. Wellbeing needs to be woven into existing pedagogy, not treated as a separate subject or initiative. When teachers don’t have the training, resources, or confidence to teach wellbeing, it remains an isolated effort rather than a systemic shift.
Wellbeing is not an “extra.” It’s not a luxury or a tick-box exercise. It is the foundation of effective teaching and learning. Schools are already being assessed on wellbeing in inspections, but until we address these barriers, time constraints, academic pressure, lack of training, and misconceptions about impact, teachers and school leaders will continue to see it as optional rather than essential.
If we want real change, we need to integrate wellbeing into teaching time rather than treating it as separate. We need to demonstrate the link between wellbeing and academic success, provide teachers with practical training and strategies, and shift leadership mindsets so wellbeing is seen as a tool for progress, not a distraction from it.
What do you think? How can we make wellbeing a natural part of teaching rather than an extra task?
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