At The Sleep Charity, we believe that understanding and prioritising good sleep is an essential life skill – one that supports wellbeing, learning, and long-term health. That’s why we were thrilled to partner with Simba Sleep’s Dream Space on a six-week project at Saracens High School, aimed at helping students build better sleep habits and routines.
A Whole-School Commitment to Sleep Education
The project kicked off with an inspiring in-person assembly, run by our amazing Lead Sleep Practitioner, Helen Rutherford, who introduced students to the science of sleep and why it matters. She also provided a sleep clinic for the afternoon to talk to students who wanted more information and advice.
While at the school, teachers and staff also sought advice and support from Helen for their sleep needs. This highlighted the wider sleep issues within a school setting and the impact it has on day-to-day life across the board. She was able to give them information on sleep hygiene, routines and lifestyle changes that can help.
Over the following six weeks, Helen hosted weekly webinars which were streamed directly into classrooms, exploring topics such as sleep patterns, healthy routines, and strategies to manage screen time and stress before bed. They were given sleep diaries and a 4-week sleep challenge to support them on their journey.
It was fantastic to see Saracens High School recognising the importance of sleep education and taking proactive steps to embed this learning into their wellbeing programme.
What the Students Told Us:
The feedback from students was really encouraging:
- 80% of students said they found the webinars useful, with many highlighting that they enjoyed learning about sleep patterns, how to structure their evenings, and create a consistent bedtime routine.
- Over half (54%) said the assembly helped them to plan their sleep routine better, though some suggested that smaller group sessions might make it easier to engage and ask questions.
- Around two-thirds (67%) found the sleep diary easy to use – feedback suggests this varied depending on how much support their tutor could offer, again pointing to the benefits of smaller, guided sessions.
- Interestingly, 90% of pupils said they hadn’t discussed the sessions at home, suggesting that future projects might explore how to extend sleep conversations beyond the classroom.
Engagement levels varied slightly between year groups, with Year 12 students particularly engaged – demonstrating the value of tailoring resources and delivery styles to different age groups.
Lessons Learned and Next Steps
The project’s success shows the positive impact that structured sleep education can have within schools. It also highlights opportunities to build on this success with more face-to-face workshops, smaller group sessions, and closer collaboration with tutors to reinforce learning.
We’re incredibly grateful to Simba Sleep’s Dream Space for their support in making this project possible, and to Saracens High School for their commitment to prioritising student wellbeing through sleep education.
We look forward to exploring how we can extend this work – not only with older students but potentially with younger pupils and local primary schools, helping even more young people to understand that good sleep really is the foundation for success.