As teachers prepare to mark World Mental Health Day (10 October), Premier League Primary Stars is stepping up with a suite of free, curriculum-linked resources designed to spark meaningful classroom discussions on wellbeing.
Used in more than 20,000 primary schools, the programme has been shown to make a real difference. By combining the power of football with the curriculum, it offers teachers ready-made ways to engage pupils in some of today’s most important conversations.
World Mental Health Day: Building resilience and confidence
New figures reveal that 1 in 3 young people now have little or no confidence – that’s up to 10 children in every classroom (Hark’s Listen Up Report 2025). To address this growing crisis, Premier League Primary Stars has developed a collection of resources designed to strengthen wellbeing and self-belief through football:
- Building Self Esteem
Interactive activities help pupils identify their strengths and recognise their own worth. The resource also features professional footballers Theo Walcott and Jill Scott, who share how they developed confidence both on and off the pitch. - Actions and Reactions
This module supports emotional literacy, helping pupils understand their responses to different situations and develop healthier coping strategies. - Play the Right Way
Centred on respect and teamwork, this resource uses football’s core values to promote positive behaviour both inside and outside the classroom. - Wellbeing: Managing Our Emotions
Pupils are guided to name, understand and regulate their emotions – an essential life skill that supports both learning and friendships. - Resilience
Featuring inspiring stories from England captain Harry Kane and the Lionesses, this resource empowers pupils to reframe setbacks, turning “I can’t” into “I can”.
These wellbeing resources are flexible and engaging, giving teachers practical tools to embed social and emotional learning into everyday classroom practice.
Premier League Primary Stars case study: Arya’s story
“I would say this is fun and it helps you a lot.”
Since it began in 2017, Premier League Primary Stars has supported and inspired thousands of pupils in the classroom, playground and on the sports field. Arya is one of those young people.
Normally a happy and bubbly person, last year Arya developed significant anxiety about attending school.
Now, thanks to weekly Premier League Primary Stars mentoring with Saints Foundation’s primary school projects officer, Rebekah Tonks, Arya is enjoying school again – turning up with confidence and ready to learn.
Find out more – Arya enjoying school again thanks to Premier League Primary Stars.
Football as a classroom catalyst
Premier League Primary Stars continues to demonstrate the role football can play in inspiring learning and life skills. By linking resources to real players and real issues, the programme helps schools bring abstract topics like racism, resilience and emotional wellbeing into concrete, memorable lessons.
Teachers can access all free resources at: plprimarystars.com
