Wellbeing Quality Mark for Schools: What It Assesses, What It Costs and How It Works

Wellbeing is the area where schools have moved fastest in the last decade and where the evidence base is thinnest. Almost every school now has a mental health lead, a wellbeing policy and a set of initiatives. Far fewer can say what difference any of it has made, for pupils or for staff.

That is not a criticism of anyone. Wellbeing is genuinely difficult to measure, and school leaders have been asked to build a support system for children's mental health at exactly the moment external services became hardest to access. Many leaders tell us they are holding a level of need that would once have sat firmly outside school, with no additional staffing to hold it.

The Wellbeing Quality Mark asks whether wellbeing is genuinely embedded in how your school operates, for pupils and for staff, and whether the evidence shows it is working. This guide sets out the six areas assessed, the three levels, what it costs, what happens before and after the visit, and how the framework aligns with the current inspection framework and Department for Education guidance.

What is the Wellbeing Quality Mark?

The Wellbeing Quality Mark is one of ten School Quality Marks awarded by Jarvis Education. It covers leadership and culture, mental health support, physical wellbeing, pupil voice and agency, staff wellbeing, and community and belonging.

It goes beyond policy checklists. The question throughout is whether wellbeing shapes how the school actually operates, or whether it exists alongside a set of arrangements that quietly undermine it.

Every award is validated by an independent reviewer with direct experience in this area, and every report is quality checked before it reaches you. The framework covers 36 standards, rated red, amber or green, with awards at Established, Advanced or Leading level. It applies to primary, secondary, special schools, independent schools and alternative provision.

Why a wellbeing accreditation matters now

Three developments make this a good moment to look properly.

The inspection framework introduced in November 2025 grades personal development and wellbeing as one of the six core evaluation areas on the report card. It is assessed on the five point scale, and under a secure fit approach that expects evidence rather than an account of intentions. The framework also introduced a greater focus on the wellbeing of school staff, including the ability to pause an inspection where there is a wellbeing concern about leaders or staff.

The 2026 Schools White Paper set an expectation that by 2029 every school will monitor pupils' sense of belonging. That is a significant shift. Belonging is a wellbeing measure, and it connects directly to the paper's attendance ambition and its enrichment entitlement. Schools that already gather and act on pupil voice will find this straightforward.

Safeguarding guidance has also moved. KCSIE 2026, in force from 1 September 2026, gives greater prominence to mental health, including warning signs staff should recognise and clear expectations about what to do when a child may be in immediate danger. Mental health is not a separate pastoral concern sitting alongside safeguarding. It is part of it.

Alongside all of that sits recruitment and retention. Staff wellbeing is not a nice addition to a wellbeing strategy. In most schools it is the constraint on everything else.

The six assessment areas

• Leadership and Culture. Wellbeing strategy, the felt culture of the school, governor oversight, wellbeing leadership, communication and evaluation.
• Mental Health Support. Staff awareness and literacy, identification, in school support, referral pathways, policy and stigma reduction.
• Physical Wellbeing. Physical activity, food and nutrition, sleep and health education, the physical environment and access to health services.
• Pupil Voice and Agency. How pupil views are gathered, whether they change anything, pupil leadership and the experience of pupils who are hardest to hear.
• Staff Wellbeing. Workload, line management, access to support, psychological safety, and whether the school acts on what staff say.
• Community and Belonging. Relationships, inclusion in the everyday sense, family engagement, transitions and whether every child has an adult who knows them.

Leadership and Culture in detail

Wellbeing strategy. At Established, there is a wellbeing strategy or plan, and leaders can explain what the school is working on and why. At Advanced, wellbeing is embedded in improvement planning, resourced and has named leadership. At Leading, strategy is co-produced with staff, pupils and families, and reviewed in the light of evidence.

Culture. At Established, the school feels calm, purposeful and safe to most pupils and staff. At Advanced, wellbeing is visible in how people speak to each other, how conflict is handled and how difficulty is supported. At Leading, the wellbeing culture is exceptional and distinctive, and recognised by those who visit.

Governor oversight. At Established, governors receive wellbeing data and hear about the school's wellbeing work. At Advanced, governors scrutinise strategy and hold leaders to account for its impact. At Leading, wellbeing is a standing board item and governors are knowledgeable advocates.

Staff leadership. At Established, there is a designated lead for mental health or wellbeing. At Advanced, the lead has appropriate training, time and authority, and is known by staff and pupils. At Leading, leadership is distributed, with multiple staff championing wellbeing across school life.

Communication. At Established, families are told about the school's approach to wellbeing. At Advanced, families are genuine partners, and the school reaches families who are hard to engage. At Leading, families help shape the approach, and their input changes what the school does.

Evaluation. At Established, some evidence of pupil and staff wellbeing is collected. At Advanced, evidence is used to make decisions, and the school can show what changed as a result. At Leading, wellbeing is evaluated rigorously and honestly, and used to improve and to help others.

Mental Health Support in detail

Awareness and literacy. At Established, staff have basic mental health awareness and know how to recognise signs of distress. At Advanced, staff literacy is strong and they feel confident having early conversations with pupils. At Leading, the school is a leader in mental health literacy, with high and continuously developed staff skill.

Identification. At Established, there is a process for identifying pupils who may be struggling. At Advanced, identification is systematic and does not rely on pupils or parents coming forward. Vulnerable groups are proactively monitored. At Leading, identification is early and effective, and the school can show that early support prevented escalation.

School based support. At Established, the school offers some form of in school mental health support. At Advanced, support is appropriately qualified, timely and effective, not just a signposting service. At Leading, support is excellent and evidenced, with outcomes shown for pupils who received it.

Referral pathways. At Established, staff know how to refer pupils to external services. At Advanced, pathways are clear and used effectively, and the school follows up to ensure pupils get help. At Leading, the school is an active partner in local provision, shaping services and advocating for its pupils.

Mental health policy. At Established, the school has a mental health or emotional wellbeing policy. At Advanced, policy reflects what the school actually does and is reviewed with staff, pupils and families. At Leading, policy is co-produced and evidenced, and shared as a model for others.

Reducing stigma. At Established, some steps are taken to normalise conversations about mental health. At Advanced, stigma reduction is deliberate and embedded in curriculum, assemblies and pastoral work. At Leading, stigma has been measurably reduced. Pupils talk about mental health openly and positively.

The remaining four areas follow the same structure, and the full framework is shared on registration.

How the scoring works

Each of the 36 standards is rated red, amber or green against the descriptors for your chosen level. Green means secure, consistent and evidenced. Amber means in place in parts. Red means not yet in place or a significant gap. You rate yourself, your reviewer rates the same standards, and their ratings set the award.

The three levels explained

Established. No reds, at least 30 of 36 green, up to six ambers, no more than two in any one area. This signals that wellbeing arrangements are real, organised and reaching pupils and staff.

Advanced. Established met first, then at least 27 of 36 green against Advanced descriptors, no more than two ambers in any area. This signals that wellbeing is embedded in how the school operates, with evidence of impact.

Leading. Advanced met first, then at least 30 of 36 green against Leading descriptors, with impact beyond your own school. This signals that your wellbeing practice is a model others learn from.

Evaluation is where most schools sit at Established. Almost every school does wellbeing work. Fewer can show what changed because of it. If you already run a validated staff or pupil wellbeing survey and act on the results, you are further towards Advanced than you probably think.

What the Wellbeing Quality Mark costs

Established is £1,350, with one reviewer, one day in school. The annual fee in years two and three is £250.

Advanced is £1,950, with one reviewer, one day in school. The annual fee in years two and three is £295.

Leading is £2,750, with two reviewers, one day in school. The annual fee in years two and three is £350.

Figures are a guide, so please confirm current fees before budgeting.

Established includes the self evaluation tool for all six areas, one named reviewer, a full day visit, a written report, the award and digital badge, and the annual document check in years two and three. Advanced adds a governor conversation, commendations and a directory listing. Leading adds a second reviewer and an annual impact summary.

Group and trust pricing

Discounts apply for groups: 2 to 4 schools at 15%, 5 to 9 at 22% and 10 or more at 30%.

Groups receive an overview report and a group wide training session. Staff wellbeing in particular benefits from a trust wide view, because retention patterns across schools tell a board things that individual exit interviews do not.

How many days on site?

One day, with one reviewer at Established and Advanced and two at Leading.

Wellbeing is felt rather than filed, so the reviewer spends more of the day in ordinary spaces than in the office: corridors, the staff room, the dining hall, the playground. What a school feels like at 11am on an unremarkable Tuesday is the most honest evidence available.

What happens before the visit

• Register and choose your mark and level. We confirm your named reviewer and next steps.
• Complete your self evaluation. The framework tool covers all six areas. Most leaders spend eight to twelve hours across a few weeks. We recommend involving the mental health lead and at least one member of staff who is not in the leadership team.
• Send your evidence at least two weeks ahead. For wellbeing this typically includes the wellbeing and mental health policies, any staff or pupil survey results, referral and support records with identifiers removed, PSHE and RSE curriculum plans, staff absence and turnover data, workload initiatives, pupil voice records and governor reports.

Staff survey results are the piece schools most often hesitate over, particularly if the last set was uncomfortable. Share them anyway. A school that has run an honest survey and acted on a difficult result is in a far stronger position than a school that has not asked.

What the visit day looks like

• 8.45 Reviewer arrives, observing arrival and the start of the day
• 9.00 Meeting with the headteacher and the wellbeing or mental health lead
• 9.30 Lesson visits across year groups, including PSHE or equivalent where timetabled
• 10.30 Document review: policies, survey results, referral records and curriculum plans
• 11.00 Pupil group, six to ten children including some who have received support
• 11.45 Staff conversations, including support staff and early career teachers, without leaders present
• 12.30 Lunch, observed, and further document review
• 1.00 Governor or trustee meeting at Leading level, senior leader conversation at Established and Advanced
• 1.30 Family conversations, at least three families, in person or by phone
• 2.00 Reviewer write up and cross checking of the self evaluation
• 3.00 Feedback to leadership, covering findings and a provisional level

Staff conversations happen without leaders in the room, always. That is not because we expect to hear complaints. It is because staff wellbeing cannot be assessed in a conversation staff feel they have to manage.

What happens after the visit

Your report arrives within around ten working days, quality checked before it reaches you, covering all six areas with specific recommendations. Staff wellbeing findings are reported honestly but never in a way that identifies individuals.

If awarded, your digital badge carries your school's name and level, supplied as high resolution PNG and scalable SVG. At Advanced and above you are listed in the accredited settings directory. The award lasts three years, with a document check in years two and three and no visit.

How the Wellbeing Quality Mark aligns with the inspection framework and DfE guidance

The 2025 inspection framework. Personal development and wellbeing is one of six core evaluation areas graded on the report card. Inspectors consider whether the school supports pupils' mental and physical health, whether pupils feel safe and known, and whether there is a culture in which pupils can seek help. The framework also increased attention to staff wellbeing and workload as part of a more collaborative inspection approach.

Keeping Children Safe in Education. KCSIE 2026 strengthens the mental health content, setting out warning signs staff should be alert to and clear expectations about escalation where a child may be at immediate risk. The Mental Health Support area maps onto those expectations, including whether staff know what to do and not just who to tell.

DfE guidance on a whole school approach to mental health. The expectation of a senior mental health lead, and the eight principles of a whole school approach, run through areas one, two and four of this framework.

Relationships, sex and health education. Statutory health education includes mental wellbeing, internet safety, physical health and fitness, healthy eating and sleep. The Physical Wellbeing area assesses whether that curriculum is taught properly rather than covered.

The Schools White Paper 2026. The expectation that schools will monitor pupils' sense of belonging by 2029 sits squarely in the Community and Belonging area. Schools that already gather this will need to do very little to comply.

Attendance guidance. The statutory attendance guidance is explicit about mental health as a driver of absence and about emotionally based school avoidance. Wellbeing and attendance are connected problems, and this framework treats them as such.

This is an independent accreditation against a published framework, not a DfE or Ofsted award.

From Our Experience

We often see schools with an impressive wellbeing offer for pupils and very little for staff. The staff room tells you within a minute. A school cannot sustain high quality pastoral care with a workforce that is depleted, and children notice tired adults long before anyone writes it in a survey.

Many leaders tell us that their wellbeing work is a collection of good initiatives without a strategy holding them together. Mindfulness in one year group, a counsellor two days a week, a wellbeing week in June. All valuable individually. Schools that recover well usually stop two or three things, keep the rest and build a coherent plan around what remains.

One of the most common challenges is the waiting list problem. External services are stretched, referrals take months, and schools end up holding children who need more than a school can reasonably provide. That is not a school failing. What the framework does examine is whether the school tracks those children while they wait, rather than treating the referral as the end of its responsibility.

We also see pupil voice gathered diligently and used lightly. Children can usually tell you exactly which parts of the school day are hardest and why. Schools that ask, and then visibly change one thing, get far more from the exercise than schools that survey annually and report the results.

Every school's circumstances are different, and the level of need in a community shapes what is realistic. We take that seriously.

Common Misconception

"Wellbeing means being kind to people. You cannot really assess that."

You can, and the schools doing it best would want you to. Wellbeing practice includes systems that are entirely assessable: whether identification is systematic, whether referral pathways work, whether staff are trained, whether children waiting for support are tracked, whether workload initiatives changed anything measurable, whether pupil voice altered a decision. Kindness is the culture. The framework assesses the structures that make kindness reliable rather than dependent on which adult a child happens to meet.

A second misconception is that staff wellbeing means reducing accountability. In our experience the opposite is true. Staff in schools with clear expectations, fair systems and honest feedback report better wellbeing than staff in schools where nobody knows where they stand.

Questions for Leaders

• Could we name the children in our school who have no adult here who knows them well?
• What did our last staff survey tell us, and what did we change?
• How long do our children wait for external mental health support, and what do we do during that wait?
• What have we stopped doing this year to protect staff workload?
• Does our mental health lead have time, or only responsibility?
• When did pupil voice last change a decision, and did the pupils find out?

Our Perspective

Wellbeing is not an initiative. It is the condition in which everything else in a school becomes possible: teaching, learning, attendance, behaviour and belonging. A school where children feel safe and adults feel supported will do the rest better, and a school where neither is true will struggle whatever else it puts in place.

The reason to have this looked at externally is that wellbeing is exceptionally hard to see from inside. Everyone has adapted to the temperature of their own building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will you speak to staff without leaders present? Yes, always. It is a condition of the review, and staff comments are never attributed.

We ran a staff survey with poor results. Should we still apply? Yes. Having asked and acted counts strongly in your favour. Not asking does not.

Do you assess staff wellbeing as well as pupil wellbeing? Yes, as one of the six areas. In most schools it is the area with the most room to improve.

Can special schools and alternative provision take this mark? Yes. In those settings we look particularly closely at staff support around trauma, physical intervention and the emotional load of the work.

How long does the process take? Typically six to ten weeks from registration to report.

What if we do not achieve the level we applied for? Your reviewer tells you at the feedback session, with a clear route to the next level.

Is this an Ofsted or DfE accreditation? No. It is an independent judgement against a published framework.

How Can Jarvis Education Help?

Jarvis Education is a school improvement consultancy founded and led by a former His Majesty's Inspector, working with schools, academies, trusts, independent schools, alternative provision and local authorities. Our wellbeing reviewers have led pastoral provision in real schools and understand the gap between what a school wants to provide and what it can staff.

If you want an honest picture of wellbeing in your school, for children and for the adults who look after them, the Wellbeing Quality Mark is designed to give you one.

Register your school or book a call.