Look after
your mind.

This beat comes in two versions. Run the one for the hall you have, not both.

"Copy me. Sunny — hands high and wide. Cloudy — flat hands, drifting slowly. Stormy — fingers wiggling down, like rain." (do all three yourself; the whole hall copies — ten seconds)

"nobody copies anything — this one is a vote, and I want your hand up before I tell you. Weather changes. How fast do you think the weather inside a person's head can change? Over a year? (pause) Over a week? (pause) In an hour? (pause — count the room by eye, then reveal)"

"That is the weather inside your head. Some days sunny. Some days cloudy. Some days stormy. It changes — and every kind of weather is allowed."

"Mental health is the weather inside your head. It can change in an hour. Nobody is sunny all the time, and a storm is not a fault in you — weather moves."

"Hands up if you think everybody in this hall has had all three of those weathers at some time. (every hand goes up — let them look around) Look. Everybody. That is the point."

"Emotions are signals. They tell us something. The first action is to notice them and name them."

"Just naming a feeling out loud calms the part of the brain that makes it. Scientists call it name it to tame it."

"Turn to the person next to you and say one feeling word. Not how you feel — just a word."

"Happy. Sad. Worried. Angry. Scared. Excited. Pick any one of those. Go."

"There are far more than six to choose from. Frustrated. Nervous. Lonely. Embarrassed. Relieved. Proud. Overwhelmed — the more words you have, the smaller a feeling gets. Go."

Five seconds of noise, then your attention signal. Then:

"Every word I just heard is a normal word. All of them are allowed in this school."

"When the inside weather gets stormy, there are four small actions. Breathe — slow breaths in and out. Move — a walk, a stretch. Talk — tell someone how you feel. Help — be kind to someone else."

This beat comes in two versions. Run the one for the hall you have, not both.

"Everybody stand up. That is Move. Shake out your hands with me — ten seconds. (do it with them) Sit down. You have just done one of the four."

"stand up if you think Talk is the hardest of those four for most people to actually do. On your feet if that is your answer. (look round — let them see the room — then:) Sit down. Now notice what just happened. You stood up. That was Move. You did one of the four without meaning to."

Any child who cannot stand shakes their hands out — or votes with a hand up — sitting down. That counts exactly the same. Say so before you start.

"And if the small actions are not enough, that is not your fault. That is exactly when telling a trusted adult matters most."

"Sit up tall. This one is called box-breathing. Copy me. In for four — one, two, three, four. Hold for four. Out for four. Hold for four."

Three rounds. Count out loud and slowly — the hall follows your voice, not the screen. Any child who finds breath-focus uncomfortable sits quietly or counts heartbeats instead.

"That is a tool you have for free, forever, that no one can take away."

"In summer 2025 the Lionesses won the Women's Euros for England — for the second time. They did not just train hard. They looked after their minds."

"Some of the players wrote in a diary all through the tournament — how they felt, what worried them, what went well. Some of them wrote poems."

"Millie Bright stepped back before the squad was even named. She said she could not give a hundred per cent, physically and mentally. It was an honest, brave call — and it was respected."

"Thumbs up if saying 'I can't do this right now' is brave. Thumbs down if you think it is giving up. (pause — look round) Keep them there. She is a European champion. Thumbs up."

"Hands up if you think the England men's squad take a mental health support team with them to a World Cup. (pause — count the room by eye) Hands down. They do. Every player has someone to talk to. Even captains. Even superstars."

"Bukayo Saka missed a penalty at Euro 2020. He got help. He talked to people. He worked through it. Now he plays better than ever."

"When something goes wrong — what is your action? Bukayo's was to talk to someone."

"When the storm is too big for you on your own, the bravest action is to tell a trusted adult. Everyone needs help sometimes — even superstars."

"Your family — mum, dad, carer, grandparent, big brother or sister. Your teachers — class teacher, TA, head, anyone you trust. Other adults — the school nurse, a club leader, a family friend. Or Childline — free, any time, on 0800 1111."

Name the real adults in this school out loud. Point at them. Say your own name.

"Right now, quietly, in your head — think of one adult you could go to if you were worried. Just one is enough. If more than one comes to mind, that is a bonus. You do not need to say them out loud. Just know who they are."

Press → to reveal. Then ask the next two aloud — no slide needed:

"How many counts in box-breathing?" (four) · "Name one small action." (breathe, move, talk or help)

"What is Childline's number, and when can you ring it?" (0800 1111 — free, every day, any time) · "What did Millie Bright do?" (stepped back and said so honestly)

"Monday — notice and name your feelings. Tuesday — move. Wednesday — check in with a friend. Thursday — box-breathing, three times. Friday — be kind to someone."

This beat comes in two versions. Run the one for the hall you have, not both.

"All together, after me: This week, I will look after my mind. Every day. One small action." (let the hall say it back)

"nobody chants anything. Pick your day and pick your action, then turn to the person next to you and say which day and which action. Not how you feel — just the plan. Ten seconds. Go. (five seconds of noise, then your attention signal)"

Then, quietly:

"Now think of one small action you will do today. Not next week. Today. Keep it to yourself. Then go and do it."