Emotional Literacy: Wellbeing Check-in

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• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Lower Secondary (Key Stage 3)
• BTEC, GCSE

Introduction

This lesson gives you and your students a toolkit of questions to help them think about their own mood, how they feel at the moment and whether there are any links between their diet, sleep and hydration and how they feel.

Instructions

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This check-in can be completed by the staff in your department, or with your students, to help them navigate their own wellbeing and discover potential focus areas.

Of course, we recommend keeping answers anonymous, and if you are seriously worried about anyone at your school, please refer them to the correct services or members of staff.

Ensure your students and staff are being reflective of their own mental health. It is not only extremely important, but can be a very rewarding experience for the people involved.

Emotional Literacy:

Wellbeing Check-in.

A short, repeatable check-in that helps students name their mood and connect it to everyday habits such as eating, drinking water and exercise. Use it in tutor time or as a lesson starter, with students or with staff.

Some questions may surface distress or difficulties at home, so keep responses anonymous where possible, avoid asking individuals to share in front of the class, and follow the school's safeguarding procedures for any concern or disclosure.

Ensure students and staff are being reflective of their own mental health. It is not only extremely important, but can be a very rewarding experience for the people involved.

This check-in can be completed by the staff in a department, or with students, to help them navigate their own wellbeing and discover potential focus areas.

Keeping answers anonymous is recommended, and anyone causing serious concern should be referred to the correct services or members of staff.

Emotional literacy is a key skill for life. Being able to assess and reflect on your own mood is essential for self-management and your own mental wellbeing.

This lesson will show you some practical ways to reflect.

Read this framing aloud so students understand that naming and reflecting on feelings is a practical life skill rather than a test.

What emoji reflects your mood in this moment?

This emoji poll gauges the overall mood of the room in a few seconds and gives a baseline for the rest of the check-in.

Stretch: Invite volunteers, without pressure, to explain what has most influenced their choice today and whether it would have been different yesterday.

Device-Free: Students hold up one to five fingers, from lowest to highest mood, or draw the matching face on a mini whiteboard.

You know what is expected of you at school.

This poll gauges how clear the class feels about expectations at school, showing where routines or rules may need restating.

Stretch: Ask students to name one expectation that feels clear and one that feels confusing, and explain the difference.

Device-Free: Students rate their agreement from one to five on a sticky note and hand it in face down.

You feel safe at school.

This poll gauges how safe students feel at school; treat any low responses as a prompt for private follow-up rather than whole-class discussion.

Stretch: Ask students to identify a place, person or routine in school that helps them feel safe and justify their choice.

Device-Free: Students write a rating from one to five on a slip of paper and post it anonymously into a box.

How are you feeling today, physically and mentally?

This open question moves students beyond a one-word answer, asking them to evaluate both their physical and mental state and notice how the two connect.

Stretch: Ask students to identify one factor that may be affecting how they feel, such as sleep, food or a recent event, and explain the link.

Device-Free: Students write two private sentences, one about how they feel physically and one about how they feel mentally.

What is taking up your

headspace the most today?

This open question asks students to weigh up what is occupying their thoughts most, rather than simply listing what they have done.

Stretch: Ask students to sort their answer into things within their control and things outside it, then suggest one next step.

Device-Free: Students write their answer on a sticky note kept private, handing it in only if they choose to.

1

Yes

2

I have had a snack

3

I haven't had time

4

I haven't felt hungry

5

No

Have you had a meal in the last 4 hours?

This poll gauges eating patterns across the class and opens a conversation about how hunger affects mood and concentration; be mindful that some students may not have regular access to food and follow up privately where needed.

Stretch: Ask students to give a real-world example of a time when being hungry changed how they felt or behaved.

Device-Free: Students write the number of their answer on a mini whiteboard and show it to the teacher only.

1

Yes

2

Sometimes

3

No

Do you drink enough water?

This poll gauges hydration habits and links a simple daily habit to mood and focus.

Stretch: Ask students how they could tell they were not drinking enough water and what they could change during the school day.

Device-Free: Students show thumbs up, sideways or down for yes, sometimes or no.

What kind of exercise do you do?

This word web draws out the range of exercise students already do and broadens what counts as being active.

Stretch: Ask students to pick one activity from the web and explain how it might affect mood as well as fitness.

Device-Free: Build the web on the board, adding each suggestion as students call it out.

What have you done in the past few days

that has made you feel happy?

This word web draws out recent positive experiences and builds a shared bank of everyday sources of happiness.

Stretch: Ask students to spot a pattern in the web, such as time with others or time outdoors, and explain why it might lift mood.

Device-Free: Students write one idea each on a sticky note and add it to a shared poster.

What could you do today

that will bring you happiness?

This word web builds vocabulary for small, achievable actions that could improve the rest of today.

Stretch: Ask students to choose one idea and explain exactly when and how it fits into their day.

Device-Free: Pairs agree on one idea each and share it aloud while the teacher records the ideas on the board.

What could you do in the coming days

that would make you feel happy?

This word web extends the planning to the days ahead, prompting students to name realistic activities to look forward to.

Stretch: Ask students to justify which idea would have the biggest effect on their wellbeing and why.

Device-Free: Students list three ideas in a planner or exercise book and circle the one they will try first.

What are some of the things

you are grateful for in your life?

This open question asks students to reflect on and weigh up what matters to them, rather than recall facts.

Stretch: Ask students to choose one thing they are grateful for and explain how it supports their wellbeing.

Device-Free: Students write a short gratitude list on paper to keep, sharing only if they wish.

Close the check-in by reminding students where to find support in school if any question raised a concern.