Real Results for Primary School Wellbeing: Insights from Our Latest Impact Report
Supporting children to feel safe, confident, and ready to learn in primary schools.
From 2023 to 2025, our work in Bradford has been through a process of external validation and analysis with ImpactEd. They measured school’s progress from before and after implementation of The Story Project. The results are in and we’re delighted to share the final report with you!
Our latest impact report highlights the measurable difference our work is making to children’s wellbeing across primary schools.
The report shows how The Story Project had a positive impact on pupil wellbeing outcomes across multiple measures. Here are some of the key findings:
Improved emotional vocabulary
The Story Project enhanced pupils’ emotional vocabulary. Before implementation, only 27.8% of teachers rated their pupils’ wellbeing and emotional vocabulary as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. After using the programme, this figure rose to 85.5% – an increase of 57.7 percentage points
Improved wellbeing discussions
Teachers reported substantial improvements in the quality of wellbeing conversations. Before The Story Project, 48.2% of teachers rated classroom wellbeing discussions as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. After implementation, this rose to 92.7% – an increase of 44.6 percentage points.
Develop tools to manage wellbeing
Pupils demonstrated increased confidence in managing their own wellbeing. After engaging with The Story Project, 73.0% of pupils knew who to talk to or how to get help when worried (up from 60.9% – an increase of 12.1 percentage points).
Pupil openness
Pupils are more willing to share their feelings and experiences because they see themselves and people from their own lives reflected in The Story Project stories.
Increased empathy and understanding of others
Pupils demonstrated significantly enhanced ability to empathise with others. Before The Story Project, only 21.8% of teachers rated their pupils’ ability to empathise as ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’. After implementation, this rose to 71.6% – an increase of 52.7 percentage points.
Literacy skills
Teachers reported perceived improvements in pupils’ literacy and comprehension skills after using The Story Project.
The report explores the measurable impact our programme is having on teachers too.
Teachers benefitted substantially from implementing The Story Project, reporting increased confidence and competence in supporting pupil wellbeing.
Better equipped to support wellbeing
Before The Story Project, 45.3% of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that they understood how to reduce gaps in pupils’ understanding of wellbeing topics. After implementation, this rose to 86.8% – an increase of 41.5 percentage points.
Confidence in handling sensitive topics
Teachers demonstrated significantly increased confidence in facilitating discussions on sensitive PSHE and RSHE topics, with an increase of 50.9 percentage points reporting they felt equipped to tackle challenging conversations around wellbeing.
Transfer of learning across the curriculum
Teachers reported that The Story Project resources supported them in subjects beyond PSHE lessons. This included using Story Project resources beyond designated sessions, adapting, lesson planning structures for other subjects and employing restorative conversation approaches across different classroom subjects.
About The Story Project
The Story Project is a social enterprise using the magic of stories to improve wellbeing and literacy in schools.
Our research-backed programme puts stories at the heart of the conversation, allowing children to explore all the statutory RSHE curriculum in a safe and engaging way.
Award-winning and teacher-led, we’re passionate about making a difference to children.
