All 15 secondary schools in the London borough of Sutton are trialing virtual reality headsets to help students cope with stress from exams, ADHD, and difficult home lives. The pilot, run with the local NHS mental health trust, uses headsets made by tech firm Phase Space.
Pupils access a seven-minute VR program either in prearranged slots or when anxiety forces them to leave a lesson. Co-creator Zillah Watson, a former BBC VR head, says it helps overwhelmed and anxious students calm down and rebuild confidence.
Aelisha Needham, vice-principal at Ark Academy in north London, said students with social or emotional issues are calmer and less likely to be removed from class. Nine out of 10 users in the first 10 schools saw an immediate stress drop. Sixteen-year-old Lora Wilson said the headsets helped her exam anxiety. With NHS child mental health services overloaded, VR may offer a low-cost solution.