HOME EDUCATION: MENTAL WELLBEING AS A SUBJECT
What if understanding yourself was part of the curriculum?
Children spend years learning about the world around them. They learn how things work, how people lived, how numbers fit together, how stories are told and how the natural world changes.
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But what about understanding themselves?
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The Children's Psychology Hub's Mental Wellbeing as a Subject curriculum brings developmental psychology and practical life skills into education — helping children and young people understand their emotions, thoughts, relationships, responses and ways of navigating everyday life.
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A developmental curriculum for ages 5–16, delivered through termly home-education groups and a growing programme of curriculum resources.
Eastbourne & online across the UK
THE BIG IDEA
Mental wellbeing belongs in education
Growing up involves learning far more than academic knowledge.
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Children are constantly developing an understanding of who they are, how they think, what they feel, how they relate to other people and how they respond when life doesn't go according to plan.
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Yet these are often things children are expected to work out as they go.
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We think psychological understanding is something children can learn.
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Not because something is wrong with them, but because understanding ourselves is part of growing up.
Through age-appropriate learning, children explore the psychology of everyday life — from emotions and thinking to relationships, change, decision-making, flexibility and knowing when to ask for help.
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It is education about being human.
Children shouldn't have to wait until something is difficult to learn about themselves.
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WHAT CHILDREN LEARN
A curriculum for real life.
The curriculum brings together developmental psychology and practical skills in seven connected areas.
Understanding Me
Emotions, self-awareness, confidence, needs, strengths and recognising what supports our wellbeing.
Understanding my Mind
​Thoughts, thinking patterns, attention, assumptions and learning that we don't have to automatically believe everything our minds tell us.
Looking After Myself
Emotional regulation, mindfulness, grounding, coping strategies and recognising when we need support.
Growing and Adapting
Change, uncertainty, mistakes, problem-solving, flexibility and adapting when things don't go according to plan.
Understanding Others
Friendships, relationships, communication, empathy, perspective-taking and boundaries.
Identity & Belonging
Identity, individuality, values, belonging and the communities that shape us.
Navigating Everyday Life
Decision-making, asking for help, managing challenges and practical skills for growing up.
DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRESSION
Psychology should grow with the child
The curriculum is organised into four developmental age bands. It isn't the same programme repeated with increasingly difficult worksheets. The psychological ideas themselves develop, becoming more nuanced, reflective and independent as children grow.
5-7
8-10
11-13
14-16
Beginning to understand myself
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Naming emotions
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Body signals
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Is my thought always true?
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Coping with change
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Who can help me?
Understanding how I think and respond
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Thinking patterns
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Different perspectives
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Coping with worries
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Friendships
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Problem-solving
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Trying new strategies
Developing psychological flexibility
Understanding myself in a changing world
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Challenging assumptions
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Noticing thoughts
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Uncertainty
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Identity
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Responding to conflict
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Decision-making
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Cognitive defusion
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Values and decisions
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Independence
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Relationships & boundaries
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Coping with uncertainty
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Future pathways
PSYCHOLOGICAL SKILLS
Learning tools for everyday life
The curriculum draws on psychological approaches including mindfulness, grounding, emotional regulation, challenging unhelpful thoughts, cognitive defusion, growth mindset and psychological flexibility.
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These ideas are introduced developmentally, using language and activities that make sense for the child's age.
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Children aren't given a list of techniques they are expected to use. Instead, they learn to notice, understand, experiment and choose — building a psychological toolkit they can draw upon in different situations.
Examples of tools include:
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Mindfulness – noticing what is happening right now
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Grounding – using the senses to reconnect
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Challenging thoughts – thinking about evidence and alternatives
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Cognitive defusion – noticing a thought without automatically believing it
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Growth mindset – learning, practising and developing
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Emotional regulation – understanding emotions and responses
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Psychological flexibility – responding thoughtfully when things are difficult or uncertain
