Anna Freud

Moving Up!

Storytelling for Mental Wellbeing

Anna Freud, a leading child and family mental health charity, asked us to create an animation to support children moving from primary to secondary school. The brief focused on promoting peer-led learning, using relatable voices and real experiences rather than adult-led advice. Our goal was to develop a resource that children would genuinely engage with, helping them openly discuss their feelings and anxieties about the transition and encouraging positive, proactive mental health support during a key moment in their education journey.

 

ChatGPT said: Illustration of a nervous student standing outside school gates surrounded by peers in uniform, symbolizing the anxiety and uncertainty of starting a new school.

Bringing Stories to Life

We worked with a focus group of 60 eleven-year-olds to gather real experiences of moving to secondary school. These insights shaped a story following four main characters through key moments like their first day. To ensure authenticity, all characters were voiced by children using natural language. While the project was complex to deliver, the final animation has been well received by schools and families, helping to support children’s mental health and encourage open conversations around this important life transition.

 

 

Illustration of a smiling student named Eliza in a green school uniform, sitting in a classroom setting, suggesting confidence and comfort in a school environment.
Illustration of a smiling student named Dele in a purple school uniform, sitting confidently on playground bars, surrounded by classmates, with a school building in the background.
Two people, likely a teacher and student, sit on a bench observing other students interacting on a school playground with a basketball hoop and soccer ball in the background.
Animated boy named Albie stands smiling in a lost property room, holding up a water bottle next to a box labeled "Lost Property," surrounded by sports equipment and school clothes.
A teacher stands in a school hallway pointing towards a door labeled “A18” while a large unfolded school map is held in the foreground.
Animated girl named Alisha sitting in the back seat of a car, wearing a seatbelt and waving while looking out the rear window at a school scene in the distance.
Bird’s eye view of a school child lying on a bed in uniform, surrounded by bedroom items like a desk, backpack, basketball, and game controller on the wall.