Since 2023, at the end of every academic year, we conduct Student Voice Surveys across Years 7 to 10, and Year 12, to identify how we can support their personal wellbeing more effectively moving forward. A summary of the key findings can be found below as well as a list of actions we have taken as a result. Please note: this list will be updated as part of an ongoing action plan.
The tabs below outline the top three answers about what students would like additional support with or resources for:
Emotional wellbeing
Skills for life
Academic work
Ideas to improve diet
Accessing sports in school
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Coping with stress, anxiety, and grief
Body-image and eating habits
Coping with family and relationships changes
Careers
Skills for life
Emotional wellbeing
Accessing counselling
Increasing sleep quality
Accessing sports in school
How to cope with bad days
Skills for life
Careers
Emotional wellbeing
Ideas to improve diet
Increasing sleep quality
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Coping with stress
Identifying signs of mental health issues
Skills for life
Emotional wellbeing
Study skills
Developing mindfulness or meditation skills
Increasing sleep quality
Ideas to improve diet
Coping with grief and exam stress
Coping with stress and worry
Sleep quality
Reducing phone time
Balancing time for yourself
Decrease in proportion of students allocating time to skills and commitments as they progress from Year 7 to 10. (2023)
Increase in proportion of students spending more than 6 hours on their phone daily. Concerningly, only a minority of students asked for strategies to reduce daily screen time. (2023). However, there was an increase in students asking for help in 2025.
Based on the above results, we have created an action plan to support our students' needs. These will be regularly monitored, evaluated, and updated depending on the effectiveness of new strategies.
Shared practical strategies to promote emotional and psychological wellbeing in CAPE lessons, including specific focus on significant events throughout the year e.g. Men's Mental Health Month in November
Signposted sources of support (both within and out of school) at the end of each CAPE lesson, and through 'Wellbeing Cards' which can be collected from pastoral offices
Shared results of the Student Voice Surveys with key department areas as well as the the careers team so they inform their department goals
Created MindCare@Appleton to provide a student friendly platform which they can use to access wellbeing resources that suit their needs, along with a positive habit building section in 'Positivity Hub'
Consistent updates to MindCare@Appleton based on most recent results e.g. new Emotional Regulation page and Power Reads page
Deliver workshops by external speakers on popularly requested topics such as financial life skills by HSBC, and mental health workshops for students who asked for support with emotional wellbeing
Introduced a wellbeing update in the parent bulletin so students can practice recommended strategies with the support of their parents / carers / guardians
A new wellbeing display in school with regular mental health related updates and list of key contacts. (Next to S4).
Trained Wellbeing Ambassadors who are equipped to discuss mental health topics and have supported Year 7 CAPE lessons.
Involve the whole community in promoting positive mental health e.g. Grow a Mo Challenge with a fundraiser, and using Wellbeing Ambassadors in more lessons and assemblies for younger year groups.
Update MindCare@Appleton with further resources on additional topics like reducing screen time and exercising.
Make MindCare@Appleton a part of tutor time activities to share BrainBoost Challenges, and especially exam stress strategies prior to exam weeks for each year group.
Continue to dedicate assemblies and allocated CAPE lessons for key mental health campaigns.