Understanding Male Pupils Mental Health Needs

The following survey is for all school professionals (Teaching and Non-Teaching) and Thought-Full Staff.

The aim of this survey is to gain insight into male pupils mental health needs from the perspectives of school staff and professionals who work in schools. The survey is anonymous.

Responses will be used to inform Thought-Full approaches to working with male pupils and supporting schools to identify support for male pupils in a timely way.

The table below shows the number of referrals, for male and female pupils, to Thought-Full from January to December 2025.

We can see from the Thought-Full referral data that boys aged 10 – 17 are being referred at a significantly lower rate than girls. In the 10 – 14 age range referrals for boys equated to 35% with girls being referred at a ratio of 2:1.

1. From your experience, what do you think are the main reasons for the fewer referrals to Thought-Full for males aged 10-17?

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From your experience, how do boys typically express emotional or mental health difficulties?

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How confident do you feel in recognising when a boy may be struggling with their mental health, and what helps/limits that confidence?

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What does “good mental health support for boys” look like in a school context?

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Do ideas of masculinity influence how mental health is discussed/responded to?

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What factors do you think play a role for boys to seek help within schools for their mental health?

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What challenges, if any, do staff face when trying to support boys with mental health needs in school?

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In your opinion, how well do current school systems, or supports, meet the needs of boys?

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