Therapeutic education has become a dominant influence on the teaching of values in Britain’s primary schools, according to new research from the Universities of Surrey, York and Sheffield. From mindful “body scans” to “Zones of Regulation” charts, wellbeing initiatives are quietly reshaping how children develop and learn about morals, with psychological and therapeutic approaches stepping into roles once filled by religion.

Researchers spent over a year observing classrooms and school life across England, Wales and Scotland and found that lessons in emotional literacy, resilience and empathy have become central to how primary schools teach children to be “good citizens”. Teachers and parents largely welcome this focus on mental health, particularly after the pandemic, yet many admit that traditional approaches to morals and values education have slipped down the timetable.

The study, funded by the Leverhulme Trust and published in The Sociological Review, found that wellbeing initiatives such as buddy schemes, worry boxes and mindfulness sessions have become part of everyday schooling. In some cases, these activities took priority over religious education or collective worship. The researchers warn that while this new approach can build empathy and a more harmonious school community, it also risks individualising children’s moral development and placing responsibility for wellbeing onto the child rather than wider society.

Dr Peter Hemming, co-investigator of the study and Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Surrey said:

“Our research shows that psychology and therapy now shape how primary schools form young citizens. While these practices can help children understand emotions and care for others, they also shift attention away from shared moral traditions and towards self-regulation. In some schools, therapeutic values have taken on roles once held by faith – providing comfort, guidance and even a sense of belonging.”

The researchers found that the new “therapeutic citizenship” emerging in schools blends the personal with the collective. Lessons about calmness, kindness and empathy often extend to wider social themes such as equality, tolerance, and respect for diversity. Religious ideas still surface in schools, particularly in those with a religious ethos, but typically in softer, pastoral forms aligned with therapy-inspired values of care and forgiveness.

Dr Hemming continued:

“British education is not simply becoming secular but is evolving towards a hybrid moral landscape– where therapy, psychology and spirituality coexist. This shift demands open debate about what kind of moral education schools should provide, and who decides the values that shape future citizens.”

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