Northumbria University –effektforskning på Stormbreak

Schools are spending more and more time on children’s mental health, yet they rarely know which interventions actually work. Northumbria University will carry out an independent evaluation of the Stormbreak programme in primary schools in North East England. Kavli Trust is giving NOK 2.4 million.

About the project

The evaluation will provide credible, independent evidence on whether Stormbreak works – for whom, why and under what conditions. Schools using Stormbreak will be compared with similar schools continuing as usual. Researchers will measure children’s wellbeing and difficulties, teachers’ confidence in supporting mental health and pupil attendance at baseline, after six months and after one year. Focus groups with children and interviews with teachers and parents will explain why the approach does or does not work.

The evaluation will answer three questions: Does SURGE increase teachers’ confidence and children’s readiness to learn? Does SHINE improve wellbeing and reduce anxiety among children with emerging difficulties? And what does it take for movement and mental health to become a lasting part of school culture? An advisory group of professionals and people with lived experience will follow the work. The study will be pre-registered openly, and the findings will be published whatever they show. The final report is due in December 2028, and the results will be presented at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) conference in 2029.

How will Kavli Trust’s funding be used

The grant covers a half-time postdoctoral researcher for two years, with contributions from three senior researchers. It also covers travel to schools, participant incentives, compensation for comparison schools, transcription, fees for the advisory group, conference attendance and a dissemination event.

About the organisation

Northumbria University in Newcastle was named University of the Year by Times Higher Education in 2022 and Modern University of the Year by The Times and The Sunday Times in 2025. It is ranked in the UK’s top 25 for research power. The project is based in the School of Communities and Education, which works closely with more than 300 schools, health trusts and local authorities.

The research team is led by Professor Katie Haighton, Professor of Public Health, who has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and extensive experience of evaluating school-based interventions and conducting research with children. She is joined by Associate Professor Angela Rodrigues (health psychology and behavioural science) and Julia Lawrence (teacher education and physical education).