Every year, Mental Health Awareness Week offers schools an opportunity to pause. To look up from timetables and targets and ask a more important question: how are we actually doing?

This year, Woodhouse Grove did just that. Organised by Becky Vernon, our Head of Wellbeing and PSHE, the school marked Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 with four days of thoughtful, pupil-centred activity designed to open up conversations, build healthy habits and remind every member of our community that their wellbeing matters.

Moving with intention

The week opened with something a little unexpected: lymphatic drainage sessions in the quad. It sounds niche, but that was rather the point. Exploring the connection between physical movement and mental clarity, pupils were introduced to the idea that caring for the body is caring for the mind too. The sunny outdoor setting made it feel genuinely joyful rather than clinical; one of those Grove moments that catches you off guard in the best possible way.

Finding stillness

On Tuesday, breaktime looked a little different. Mandala colouring stations appeared in the Quad, offering pupils a few minutes of quiet focus away from the noise of the day. Mindfulness through creativity is something Woodhouse Grove has championed for years; this was a gentle, accessible reminder that there is always time to take a moment and reset.

A space to talk

Wednesday brought one of the week’s most meaningful sessions: a Sit and Chat drop-in led by our Year 12 Wellbeing Volunteers. Passionate about mental health advocacy, these sixth formers gave up their time to offer a listening ear to anyone who wanted one. Peer support has a particular power that adult-led provision simply can’t replicate, sometimes the most helpful thing is talking to someone who gets it because they’re living it too.

Going green together

Thursday saw the official Wear It Green Day, part of the official Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 campaign. The school threw itself into it. A sea of green filled the corridors and the catering team went one step further, producing a batch of special green cupcakes. It was fun, it was colourful and it sent a message that sometimes the most powerful thing a community can do is show up together.

Why this matters

Woodhouse Grove was the first independent school in the country to receive the Wellbeing Award for Schools, and the first to be re-accredited. That isn’t a badge we wear lightly. It’s a commitment; renewed every year, in classrooms and in quads and in quiet conversations between pupils who feel safe enough to have them.

Mental Health Awareness Week is just one moment in a year-round conversation. But moments matter. And this one was a good one.

Thank you to Becky Vernon and our Year 12 Wellbeing Volunteers for leading a week to be proud of.