Spot and Support: Anxiety

Some anxious pupils are easy to spot: the tears at the classroom door, the child who can't get their breath before a test. Many more are good at hiding it, and the first sign is a stomach ache, a missed lunch or work that's never quite good enough for them.

In a panic attack, what helps is slow breathing and grounding, not a big conversation. Day to day, there's an anxiety thermometer for quick class check-ins, a sensory toolbox, progressive muscle relaxation scripts and a safe space pupils can use without a fuss. The ones who are masking it benefit too.

For parents who ask what to try at home, there's belly breathing with a teddy and a glitter jar.