A qualitative exploration of further education college staff perspectives on the challenges and opportunities for using physical activity to support student mental health in England.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of poor mental health amongst young people is a public health concern, and physical activity (PA) is a potential intervention that has both physical and mental health benefits. While education settings are important contexts for intervention delivery, little is known about the role of PA in student mental health in Further Education (FE) Colleges. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of college staff regarding the role of PA to support student mental health. METHODS: Twenty nine college staff from 5 colleges in the South-West of England took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and anonymised, and then analysed using the Framework Method. RESULTS: Staff perceived barriers to using PA to support student mental health in FE colleges were identified across four key themes; a missing link between PA and mental health, physical activity having no core place in further education, negative attitudes towards physical activity and practical limitations to physical activity provision. Opportunities identified for future implementation included a more joined-up approach between PA and mental health, systemic changes to policy and funding structures, and strategies to address student-level barriers to improve engagement with PA at college. CONCLUSIONS: While PA is a potential preventative and supportive mental health strategy within FE colleges, staff suggested meaningful future implementation requires structural, cultural and policy-level changes to ensure equitable access and engagement. Future research should explore young people's perspectives and evaluate recommended strategies for embedding PA within FE to support college student mental health. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-026-02817-x.