The prevalence of mental health problems in school children has grown, especially during the pandemic, detrimentally impacting the lives of those affected. In the UK, primary school teachers and schools are well-placed to spot and support pupil mental health. This preliminary research completed during the first part of the COVID-19 pandemic,…

This paper considers issues around identity for teaching assistants (TAs) in mainstream English primary schools. We discuss the concomitant problems TAs experience around role definition and role-creep as well as the challenges inherent in equivocally defining their evolving and flexible role. We used key themes drawn from the literature…

Friendship is of paramount importance to children's holistic well-being and development. Friendship often runs smoothly, but when it runs into difficulties this can be unsettling and time consuming, particularly after the lunchtime break. This article makes an original contribution by placing the lunchtime period under scrutiny and specifically…

The current pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption across the world. Government-led efforts to prepare for emergencies of this kind have focussed upon maintaining vital social and economic function while reducing disease. In some respects, the UK has seemed unprepared for this pandemic, although radical policies and interventions have been…

The COVID-19 pandemic brought seismic changes to children and families, with schools at the forefront of the daily battle to maintain learning. We report on our reflexive thematic analysis of data collected with 28 participants in 14 schools in England during the summer of 2021, following two extensive national lockdowns, and two transition points…

Loneliness in childhood and adolescence is currently measured using questionnaires and checklists. The most used questionnaires for youth are psychometrically limited, partly due to the absence of the young person's voice from the measurement development process. Given this gap in the literature, the current study explored primary-school aged…

This paper reports on key findings from a mixed method study analysing how teachers in secondary schools (students aged 11-19) in London and South East England view and experience pastoral care provided to students with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. In England there is statistical evidence which shows schools are increasingly…

Research demonstrates that pupils do not always have the necessary social and emotional intelligence to cope with the transition to secondary school successfully. This paper explores a context-specific intervention designed to enhance key social and emotional skills after a secondary school transition. The intervention was designed with reference…

This paper reports the findings of a systematic review of qualitative research exploring the views and experiences of pupils moving from primary to secondary school in England. The concept of transition is explored before a brief discussion of the policy and legislation surrounding educational transition. The Preferred Reporting Items for…

Parental separation not only impacts on family relationships, it also has implications for a child's school life and opportunity to learn. However, there is little understanding of how children of separated parents navigate the relationship between home and school. This paper reports findings from discussions with education professionals in…

Evidence suggests that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) offer the potential for addressing a wide range of both teacher and pupil stressors, yet there is very little evidence in examining teacher's perceptions of MBIs, as important stakeholders in this context. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 10 primary and…

In this paper, the author discusses the interrelationship between creativity, children's experiences of the natural world and pastoral education. Based on a research design developed whilst undertaking a professional doctorate in education (EdD), and grounded in a theoretical framework of children's rights, the author explores the creative…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the benefits of peer massage for primary school children. A short peer massage routine was taught to pupils in five schools and evaluation was carried out to assess the impact that the process had on the pupils' well-being, empathy, social skills and confidence. The impact of the intervention was measured…

This article reports the learning achieved by a group of trainee teachers about acts of collective worship (CW) organised in English primary schools. Using data gathered from non-participant observation questionnaires, it describes, from the viewpoint of observers, three main findings related to children and their learning, the position of CW in…

The oral re-telling of traditional tales, modelled by a storyteller and taught to children in school, can be understood as 'non-instrumental' practice in speaking and listening that emphasises oral language over the reading and writing of stories. While oral storytelling has significant benefits to children's education and development, it is…