Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she is taking steps to ensure that the National Curriculum includes lessons on personal wellbeing and building resilience for addressing mental health challenges for school pupils from Reception to Year 13.

Health education became a statutory part of the school curriculum in September 2020 for all pupils in state funded schools of compulsory school age. Independent schools do not have to teach the new health education curriculum, but they do have a statutory duty to teach personal, social, health and economic education under the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

The aim of teaching pupils about physical health and mental wellbeing is to give them the information they need to make good decisions about their own health and wellbeing, recognise issues in themselves and others and, when issues arise, seek support as early as possible from appropriate sources.

At primary school, pupils will learn to recognise and talk about their emotions, the benefits of exercise and simple self-care techniques. At secondary school, pupils will learn about common types of mental ill-health and how to recognise the early signs of mental wellbeing concerns.

Health education should support a whole-school approach to fostering pupil wellbeing and developing pupils’ resilience. This integrated, whole-school approach to the teaching and promotion of health and wellbeing has the potential to positively affect behaviour and attainment.

The Department is currently reviewing the relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance and has committed to undertake a deep dive into whether suicide prevention should be included as part of the curriculum.