Wellbeing in education

Values-based Education (VbE) is an initiative in schools that nurtures students' pro-social values, such as trust, respect, integrity and togetherness. It helps schools to embed these values by incorporating them explicitly in every aspect of the curriculum. This simple process is sufficient for students to choose to change their mindsets and behaviours towards mutual support, strengthened self-esteem, and, as a consequence, improved attitudes towards learning.

There are many evidence-based outcomes. Students' behaviours improve, enabling staff to spend less time managing challenging behaviour. This is evidenced by higher attendance rates, lower exclusions and lower staff turnover. Student and staff wellbeing improves as evidenced by surveys and recorded wellbeing measures. Academic attainment improves as evidenced by academic outcomes following a successful introduction of VbE.

Evidence also shows that children invested with pro-social values habitually continue to use them beyond school and in the workplace, bolstering future human wellbeing outcomes.

• Website: valuesbasededucation.com

The Our Wellbeing, Our Voice coalition led by #BeeWell, Fair Education Alliance, Pro Bono Economics and The Children’s Society is campaigning to implement a national wellbeing measurement program to address the needs of children and young people across England. It is based on the successful implementation by #BeeWell in Manchester, Hampshire and the Isle of White to measure wellbeing, allowing schools to identify and remedy issues affecting students' mental health.

Since 2021 #BeeWell has listened to the voices of more than 130,000 young people, acted on the data together with our partners to improve young people’s wellbeing.

For more information:

• An explanation of the #BeeWell survey
  beewellprogramme.org/research/survey/

• The survey impacts
  beewellprogramme.org/impact/

• A high-level summary
  ourwellbeingourvoice.org/about