Leeds Schools Launch Daily Mindfulness Sessions Across Multiple Neighborhoods

Twenty-three primary schools across Leeds introduced daily mindfulness sessions starting in January 2026.

Referral rates for child and adolescent mental health services in the city rose 28 percent between 2023 and 2025, according to Leeds City Council figures released last month. Parents and teachers have pressed for practical tools that fit into the school day without adding extra costs or staff time.

Named programs in two neighbourhoods

The Leeds Mindfulness Network delivers ten-minute guided breathing exercises at Roundhay Primary School on Elmete Lane every morning before registration. The same network runs a six-week block at St. Peter’s Church of England Primary in the Meanwood area, where pupils practise short body scans on the playground after lunch. Both sites use a free app developed by local therapists and approved by the council’s education team.

Headingley Primary on Kirkstall Lane joined the scheme in March. Teachers there combine the exercises with a five-minute journal prompt that asks children to name one thing they noticed during the session. The school reports that playground arguments dropped measurably in the first term.

A June 2026 council survey of 112 Leeds schools found 35 now run at least one mindfulness block per year. Average cost per pupil sits at £12 for the term when schools buy the packaged audio files and teacher training from the Leeds Mindfulness Network. Sessions last between eight and twelve minutes and require no specialist equipment beyond a quiet corner of the classroom.

How families can take part

Parents can request a place for their child by emailing the school office or speaking to the class teacher at the start of each half term. Several schools also hold a single open evening each term where families try the exercises together in the hall. The next sessions at Roundhay Primary begin on 3 September. The council website lists every participating school and the contact details for the network coordinator.