Wellbeing measurement in action

Over the past five years, Broughton Primary School has embedded regular, high‑quality measurement into its core processes, demonstrating how wellbeing data can be collected affordably, used constructively, and applied across different levels of governance.  

Broughton uses the Good Childhood Index (GCI), selecting the questions most relevant to their setting. Pupils now complete this survey twice a year, in autumn and summer, using a simple QR code login and iPads. The surveys are anonymous to encourage honest responses, while still capturing background information such as year group, gender, FSM and SEND status. This enables the school to spot differences between groups and track trends over time.  

The wellbeing data is integrated into routine leadership and governance structures. It is a standing item at governor meetings, where results are examined in the same way as academic performance or safeguarding reports. The approach is one of positive accountability: if scores drop, governors ask what might be driving the change and what actions are needed. This has normalised the expectation that wellbeing should be monitored, analysed and acted upon like any other set of core school metrics.  

The data has also helped identify specific issues that would not have been visible otherwise. For example, a sustained low score on ‘happiness with school facilities’ initially appeared vague, but by breaking down the results, the school identified that toilets were the key issue while other facilities scored highly. Because significant capital works fall outside a school’s direct control, the wellbeing evidence supported a funding application to the local authority, with further support from the local MP, ultimately securing a refurbished toilet block. This highlighted the importance of using wellbeing measurement to investigate underlying factors rather than assuming a simple cause and effect.  

This consistent, long‑term approach contributes directly to a positive school culture. The school reports that the period with its highest recorded wellbeing scores coincided with its strongest ever SATs results, reinforcing evidence that academic attainment and wellbeing can be mutually reinforcing rather than competing priorities. Broughton Primary School has also been acknowledged by the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Philipson MP, as one of the top performing schools for disadvantaged pupils.  

The school’s experience also aligns with wider guidance on wellbeing measurement. Leaders have contributed to national work on measurement frameworks, emphasising that schools should not expect straightforward causal effects from interventions: too many variables affect children’s daily experiences for a simplistic ‘intervention in, outcome out’ model. Instead, regular measurement provides a narrative understanding of what is happening, supports better‑informed decision‑making, and helps avoid unintended negative consequences.  

Broughton Primary School’s experience demonstrates how a clear, low‑cost model of regular wellbeing measurement can be practical and impactful. It shows that schools can collect high‑quality data, integrate it into governance, use it to inform improvement, and build a culture in which wellbeing is monitored, understood and acted upon.  

The Young Carers Health Innovation Project demonstrates how structured, high quality wellbeing measurement can transform understanding of the issues affecting young carers, highlight their needs, and drive more equitable support for one of the most vulnerable groups of children and young people. Delivered as part of the The Queens Institute of Community Nursing Innovation Programme, as a joint project with Hertfordshire Community Trust, this case study provides a compelling example of how a consistent wellbeing measurement can function as both an early warning system and an empowerment tool – supporting better decision making across schools, health services, and community partners.   

Young carers experience significant disadvantages, with their needs often remaining hidden. This project sought to address this by using the Good Childhood Index to identify young carers earlier, understand their lived experiences, and better direct them to appropriate support and services. Wellbeing data provided a statistically reliable foundation for understanding how caring responsibilities shape children’s daily lives, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and ability to participate at school.   

Baseline wellbeing measurement revealed that 25% of participants did not feel happy with life overall. The team also ran engagement workshops with young carers to better understand the data from a qualitative perspective and support the development of co-created resources, including producing a booklet that would enable them to avoid having to repeatedly retell their story to different professionals.   

Wellbeing data provided more than a diagnostic snapshot; it acted as a catalyst for change. The project team observed measurable improvements across all areas of wellbeing following participation in the workshops. Being listened to, taken seriously, and involved in codesigning solutions had a direct positive impact on young carers’ confidence, relationships, and sense of being valued.   

The Young Carers Health Innovation Project offers a compelling case for how wellbeing measurement can be used across education, health, and community settings. It illustrates how wellbeing data can reveal hidden needs, strengthen cross agency collaboration, and empower children whose voices are often overlooked. With sustained commitment and wider adoption, a national wellbeing measurement could transform how systems identify, understand, and support young carers, creating a stronger foundation for their wellbeing.  

Over the past two years, Salford Community Leisure (SCL) have worked closely with the #BeeWell Coalition to embed wellbeing insights into their youth offer, using the data to guide investment, design targeted programmes, and evaluate the difference their work is making in neighbourhoods across Salford. 

SCL have centred on using the data to identify local need and understand which groups may be poorly served by existing provision. This has been particularly valuable in the Broughton community, where #BeeWell findings have highlighted significant gaps in access to physical activity opportunities. The data has strengthened SCL’s ability to articulate a clear case for investment in youth activities, situating local insights alongside wider national sources such as Sport England’s Active Lives survey.  

A consistent theme emerging from the data, and reinforced through learning from national programmes, has been the need for gender‑specific spaces within community settings, especially for girls. While the interest and willingness to participate is there, the barriers relate to accessibility, the suitability of the offer, and awareness of what is available. These insights prompted SCL to develop new targeted provision in response. 

One example is the girls‑only movement project established at The Albion Academy. Designed as a safe, familiar space for girls to explore different forms of movement, the offer was co‑developed through a survey capturing the views and priorities of pupils themselves. This early engagement shaped sessions that prioritise social connection, togetherness, and body positivity – elements the girls identified as key to their confidence and motivation. 

They have observed notable improvements in the confidence and peer relationships of participants. The group now regularly attracts 10–12 young people each week. Reflecting on the process, the SCL team noted that establishing the sessions took longer than anticipated, echoing insights from the #BeeWell Youth Steering Group that practical barriers, including school PE kit expectations, can significantly limit participation for many young women.  

The experience of SCL illustrates how community organisations can use wellbeing data to shape targeted effective provision that reflects the realities of young people’s lives. Through their work across Salford, they have demonstrated how data‑driven insights can not only guide delivery but also strengthen partnership working, support funding conversations, and amplify the voices and needs of young people. 

42nd Street’s work with Cedar Mount Academy in Gorton provides a compelling example of how creative, youth‑centred approaches can be used to respond to wellbeing insights and strengthen relationships between young people and trusted adults. The organisation runs a weekly creative drop‑in at the school for pupils who have experienced significant challenges in their lives. Many of the young people involved had previously struggled with school attendance and did not feel they had a safe space to talk openly about their worries. 

Engaging this group in a collaborative creative project offered an opportunity not only to explore their experiences but also to give visibility to views that are often unheard. Their participation brought a perspective rooted in lived experience, shaped by both personal difficulty and resilience. 

A key insight that resonated strongly with the group came from the #BeeWell data, which showed that only 33.9% of young people in their local area felt they could trust the adults around them, compared with a Greater Manchester average of 46.3%. The group described feeling shocked and saddened by these figures, recognising them as reflective of their own experiences of inconsistent or unreliable adult support. 

In response, the young people decided to create a zine that combines their artwork with their reflections on trust: what it means to them, why it matters, and what adults need to do to earn it. Their zine, How to Be a Trusted Adult, is a powerful creative testimony that captures both the emotional realities of trust and the practical steps adults can take to better support young people. It elevates their voices in a format that is accessible, honest, and rooted in their everyday lives. 

The collaboration between 42nd Street and Cedar Mount Academy shows how wellbeing insights, when paired with youth‑led creative work, can help schools and services understand the lived realities behind the data. It demonstrates the importance of creating safe, relational spaces where young people feel able to express themselves – and the value of listening closely when they do. 

How Mental is a charity dedicated to making mental health support accessible, relatable, and engaging for young people.  At How Mental data does not simply quantify mental health; it provides credibility, visibility, and a way for young people’s voices to be taken seriously. That realisation ultimately shaped the creation of Lifeing, a tool designed to transform how wellbeing is measured and understood. 

Lifeing is built around the principle that measurement should have as little friction as possible. The platform invites users to complete a daily check‑in using a simple 1–100 scale. Optional features, such as tagging emotions, adding custom categories, or completing more than one check‑in per day, help deepen emotional literacy without overwhelming the user.  

The richness of Lifeing’s data has already revealed meaningful trends. Daily and weekly rhythms emerge clearly, such as consistently lower mood scores at the start of the week and higher scores toward the end. Seasonal variations are also pronounced: exam seasons produce noticeable dips in wellbeing while holidays tend to produce lifts. More detailed emotional clustering shows the co‑occurrence of specific feelings, such as anxiety often appearing alongside loneliness, which can guide targeted support. Importantly, Lifeing also captures disengagement as data; when a young person stops checking in, this itself may signal rising concern. 

For organisations such as schools and NHS partners, these insights have already begun shaping practice. Schools using the platform in pilots have been able to identify anonymised emerging wellbeing issues earlier, adapting pastoral care and support systems before challenges escalate. Real‑time data dashboards create transparency not only for staff but for young people themselves, helping them recognise broader wellbeing trends within their community.  

As Lifeing has developed, building trust has been a central theme. The way an organisation introduces the tool profoundly influences how honestly young people engage with it. Schools with strong, warm relational cultures tend to see more confident and honest reporting, while more competitive or high‑pressure environments may require additional work to establish trust. Young people also tend to report higher scores initially, influenced by stigma or uncertainty. As familiarity and trust grow, scores become more honest, sometimes decreasing before stabilising into a more realistic pattern. These insights highlight why measurement cannot be implemented in isolation; it must be accompanied by communication, reassurance, and a safe environment for self‑expression. 

The challenges Lifeing has encountered offer valuable lessons for the national wellbeing measurement ask. They emphasise that measurement does not need to be perfect to be meaningful; in fact, striving for perfection can stall progress. Beginning with something simple, embedding it into existing routines such as tutor time, and building trust gradually can yield far greater value than waiting for the ideal model. The cultural context surrounding measurement matters deeply, as does ensuring that young people can see a clear link between their participation and real change. Above all, measurement must be paired with timely, credible support; without this, data risks becoming a hollow exercise rather than a catalyst for improvement. 

By capturing real‑time experiences, empowering young people’s voices, and offering actionable insights at both individual and organisational levels, the tool demonstrates why regular and meaningful measurement should sit at the heart of national wellbeing policy. As pilots continue, the insights generated will contribute meaningfully to efforts to develop a national approach that is credible, compassionate, and grounded in the experiences of those it is designed to serve.