Thirty-one schools in the Cherwell district and 215 parents or carers responded to the study.
It found that pupils in Years 4 and 5 were most likely to be struggling, with stress and anxiety identified as the most common issues by both parents and school staff.
Other concerns included anger, low self-esteem and sleep problems.
These were the year groups that began school during the Covid-19 pandemic and all of the school staff surveyed said the prevalence of children with mental health concerns and challenges had increased since the pandemic.
Researchers also highlighted a widespread demand for a blended support offer, combining whole-class emotional wellbeing workshops with one-to-one help, as well as better communication with families about available support.
In addition most staff reported they only partly feel equipped to support pupils’ wellbeing, and many pointed to a need for more training in areas such as emotional regulation and neurodiversity.