As the World Health Organization reports that one in seven young people worldwide are experiencing mental health concerns, student wellbeing in international schools has become an increasingly crucial focus — and an increasingly complex one.
The Covid-19 pandemic triggered a 25% rise in anxiety and depression worldwide, including climbing rates of social anxiety and agoraphobia. While returning to in-person lessons helped many students cope with and overcome these challenges, schools faced a significant difficulty: even with excellent pastoral care in place, sometimes the very act of coming to school is the problem.
That being said, there is an effective solution to getting students’ mental health and academic journeys back on track simultaneously, and it’s surprisingly simple to implement: hybrid learning.
Bringing remote learning options to your school with an experienced online teaching provider like King’s InterHigh offers numerous benefits, including pathways to supporting students with mental health needs. It’s not just a way to maintain academic progress: it’s a way to give students the space they need to rebuild their wellbeing and forge a seamless bridge back to campus life.
“No matter how outstanding your in-school support is, the reality is that some students will only be able to get better by spending time away from the school environment and accessing dedicated, specialist help.”
Hidden costs and support gaps
When a student has trouble with their mental health, the ripple effect can extend from their individual wellbeing all the way through to your school community and administration. Students with anxiety, depression, and school-related phobias often struggle to stay focused and engage with lessons, leading to quick declines in academic performance. In severe cases, when students find it increasingly difficult just to walk through the school gates, attendance can also suffer.
This creates a difficult cycle: the more a student falls behind, the more anxious they’re likely to feel, and the more they’re likely to withdraw from friends and school life. In turn, individual student struggles can soon lead to schoolwide drops in academic performance and community morale, along with concerns and frustrations from parents.
Worse still, even the most robust pastoral system isn’t necessarily a match for acute mental health needs. No matter how outstanding your in-school support is, the reality is that some students will only be able to get better by spending time away from the school environment and accessing dedicated, specialist help.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to say goodbye to students or watch them suffer in silence. Remote learning can provide a flexible pathway for students to feel healthy and happy again, working their way back to in-person classes as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Source: King’s InterHigh
Online learning: A bridge to recovery
Like many of today’s forward-thinking schools, you may have already considered implementing an online arm for your students. Schools around the world have long been partnering with King’s InterHigh for a wide range of services; the British International School in Ukraine, for example, partnered with us to broaden their A Level offerings. Once implemented, remote learning is a versatile tool your school can use in a whole host of situations, including as a mental health pathway.
In the past, dedicating time to mental health recovery (through psychiatric appointments or therapeutic programmes, for example) would require several days off school. Not only does this put students at risk of learning loss, but it also fails to give them the consistent space they need to reset and work on the positive strategies and routines needed to progress.
On the flip side, with hybrid learning, students who need respite can take their lessons online. King’s InterHigh’s bespoke solutions integrate with your school’s curriculum and timetable, allowing students to keep up with their learning from home and stay connected to your community, all while enjoying the breathing space they need for successful recovery.
With qualified, expert online teachers, you can rest assured that students are getting the same calibre of academics you offer — just in a way that suits them best. King’s InterHigh classes are delivered live and interactively, but learners can also catch up with lesson recordings at any time (for example, when they have an appointment). Young people with social anxiety often find it easier to participate in lessons and renew their confidence with virtual classroom tools like chat boxes too.
Then, as their mental health starts to improve, students can transition back to face-to-face learning. The goal isn’t to keep students remote indefinitely, but to build a supportive bridge back to regular school life. Whether they want to jump right back into full-time lessons, start with just a day or two a week, or gradually transition with online classes on campus, schools are free to tailor each student’s reintegration to their needs for the best chance of success.
The power of flexible learning
For almost 20 years, King’s InterHigh has been supporting students worldwide with mental health struggles that can arise in any international school community.
“What’s great about virtual learning is how it maintains the structure and engagement of school, but in an environment where students feel calm and in control,” says King’s InterHigh’s Head of SEN, Ray Boxall. “Time and time again, we’ve found that this is the perfect balance for young people struggling with their mental health, and a successful stepping stone to thriving at school in–person again.“
Take Tabatha, for example, one of the numerous students for whom online learning with King’s InterHigh was the perfect respite from wellbeing struggles. With academic continuity, the comfort to rebuild her confidence, and the space to explore relaxation techniques, Tabatha went on to achieve top IGCSE grades and study for her A Levels with enthusiasm on school campus. Recently, she won the Women’s Handball Premier League with her college team.
It’s stories like these that highlight just how powerful online learning can be in creating a stepping stone, combining your school’s structure and standards with a pressure-free, state-of-the-art learning environment that facilitates student recovery.
Source: King’s InterHigh
Online learning that works for your school
For international schools, the biggest key to success today is flexibility. The ability to adapt to the needs of your students, staff, and administration will set your school apart and prepare you to weather any difficulties that come your way.
Instead of creating costly, high-risk, and time-consuming hybrid learning systems from scratch, partnering with an expert provider gives you all the same benefits with seamless and bespoke implementation. Whether you‘re looking for a structured pathway for students who require time away from campus, or a safety net that’s there when you need it, King’s InterHigh can help you set up remote learning that works for both your school and your students.
This is an advertorial from King’s InterHigh.
By America Valentine
America Valentine is the Marketing Content Specialist at King’s InterHigh.
