Senior Mental Health Leads training - Department for Education Quality-Assured
Senior Mental Health Leads training - Department for Education Quality-Assured
Our Senior Mental Health Leads training programme will give you the skills and experience you need to develop a positive approach to mental health across your whole school.
The deadline to use the Department for Education (DfE) grant has now passed, but you can still book onto our Senior Mental Health Leads programme if you're self-funding.
To join our intake starting in March, the course will cost £880 - to book your place, please email mhc@place2be.org.uk.
To join future intakes starting in autumn 2025, the course will cost £970. If you're interested in this, please register your interest in the programme by emailing mhc@place2be.org.uk.
About the programme
Course Code: SMHL043
Learning Level: Intermediate
Our Senior Mental Health Leads (SMHL) training programme is Department for Education quality-assured, and is also CPD-certified.
This SMHL training will provide you with the knowledge and skills to develop, implement and maintain a whole-school approach in your school. Embedding positive mental wellbeing into your school culture will create an environment where your pupils can thrive.
Our programme consists of 23-25 hours during a 12-week period, where you will:
- find effective ways to address your school's needs
- grow your leadership skills in positive mental health
- build a strong supportive network in your school community
- share best practices with peers from other schools.
Hear from our expert trainers
You will be taught by our expert senior clinician trainers who have experience working in schools.
How is the programme delivered?
Mental health leads will learn in a variety of ways during this course. From online content you complete in your own time to group sessions, our engaging SMHL training will take 23-25 hours of your time.
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Activity
Time (across 12 weeks) -
Four online modules completed at your own pace
Self-paced learning on strategic approaches to mental health and leadership on our online learning platform.
10 hours -
Four interactive group sessions held online
Half-day online group training to embed your learning through experiential exercises and group discussions.
10 hours -
Two individual consultations bespoke to you and your school
Two 1-hour consultations to discuss the priorities outlined in your school audit and to explore any challenges regarding implementation.
2 hours -
Two small group reflective sessions
Group sessions offer a confidential space to explore issues and challenges you may be facing as a Senior Mental Health Lead at your school.
2 hours -
Total contact time across 12 weeks
23-25 hours
Learning outcomes
After completing the programme, leads will be able to:
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champion efforts to promote and support mental health and wellbeing, bringing about strategic change to deliver a practical whole-school approach.
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understand and plan appropriate responses to pupils’ mental health and wellbeing needs.
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ensure children and young people can get timely and appropriate support.
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support their own mental health and wellbeing, and that of their pupils.
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promote respect and value diversity.
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ensure the voice of every pupil is heard and valued, and influence decisions.
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ensure everyone works as a team around the pupils, with a consistent approach and shared aims and strategies.
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promote resilience and support social and emotional learning.
We set these learning outcomes in line with the eight principles outlined by Public Health England (PHE) and the Department for Education (DfE) in their Promoting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing: A whole-school or college approach publication.
You can find out more about the principles of a whole-school approach and how we implement it in our partner schools.
Benefits of completing our SMHL course
The benefits of our SMHL training programme include having:
- free access to Place2Be’s Mental Health Champions Foundation programme for your wider team to develop your whole-school approach
- personalised learning that considers your school’s needs and priorities
- expert support from qualified clinicians with experience working in schools
- the opportunity to build a network of peer support
- ongoing support for alumni with free access to additional resources, tips, learning and networking opportunities.
Why should you train with us?
With over 30 years experience providing mental health support in schools, we’re acknowledged specialists in our field. Over 1,300 Senior Mental Health Leads have trusted us to successfully deliver their training.
Accreditation
Our Senior Mental Health Leads Training programme is CPD-certified and is Department for Education quality-assured.
- The training has been accredited against the CPD’s A.C.C.R.E.D.I.T.E.D. Framework. This accreditation shows that the learning we deliver is of the best quality.
- Our programme is listed on the CPD Register, and our participants can collect CPD credits upon course completion.
Who is the training for?
Our SMHL training is suitable for any member of school staff who is the mental health lead at their school or college in England. You’ll need to have the support of your Senior Leadership Team to meet the requirements of the programme. This is because you will need to work with your wider school community to promote positive mental health as part of your school’s culture.
The training is ideal for:
- headteachers
- deputy headteachers
- mental health leads
- pastoral leads
- safeguarding leads
- Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCOs)
- other roles in school leadership.
Please get in touch with us by emailing mhc@place2be.org.uk to discuss whether this programme will meet your needs if you:
- hold a different role
- are applying from a Further Education (FE) college or Special School
- are based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
You might also find our frequently asked questions about our SMHL programme helpful.
Fees and funding
Course fee
The fee for our SMHL programme is £880. Places must be self-funded by a school or an individual.
Please note that for our intakes starting in autumn 2025, the price will increase to £970.
You can choose between two methods to pay.
- Credit or debit card. We offer a £20 discount per booking if you pay online using the code 20SMHL. Please note that you will not receive an invoice if you pay this way.
- Offline payment. If you choose this payment method, we will send your school finance officer an invoice of £880 using the details you provide in your registration form.
Have a question?
Read our frequently asked questions to find out more about our Senior Mental Health Leads programme.
If you require more information, please email mhc@place2be.org.uk and one of our team will be able to help you.
Reviews
Completing the course with Place2Be has enhanced my role in school and the expertise provided will support development of our whole school approach. The action plan was particularly useful in ensuring we are covering what is required. We have created a Mental Health Action Group who will support each other in the development of our whole school approach to support children, staff and our wider school community. I've really enjoyed this course and have lots of ideas to put into practice. I'm looking forward to working with our team to embed wellbeing into our school community. Thank you for your support, and ongoing support via the staffroom.
Pastoral Lead at a primary school
Register your interest for our SMHL programme
The course will relaunch in Autumn 2025. Register your interest now and we will let you know when new course dates are available.
If you would like to self-fund a space before Autumn 2025, please email us at mhc@place2be.org.uk.
Email us to register your interest