Provide A Whole School Mental Health Offer in Primary School

Awareness days and a trained TA or two are a good start. Turning them into something the whole school owns is harder, especially with a sceptical colleague in the staffroom and a parent who's convinced you're prying into family business.

A primary headteacher who has done this in her own school shows you how. You'll set principles around your school's real issues, such as whatever sits behind poor attendance, and win over the hardest-to-convince teacher with your own data. You'll bring governors into the work and handle wary parents with patience rather than pressure. A termly pupil voice conference, run in a single afternoon, makes sure children are heard too.

To keep it going, start with a small change that wins quick support, and plan for the dip in enthusiasm that every new initiative hits.