The Duchess of Cambridge is to urge schoolchildren to talk to a friend if they have a problem and to be kind to someone in need, when she speaks at an online assembly.

Kate will deliver her words of support on Thursday for the Oak National Academy – an online classroom providing video lessons and free resources to parents and teachers.

In the pre-recorded message, the duchess will say: “Talking to someone, whether it’s a friend, family member or teacher, is something you can do to make yourself feel that little bit better.

“And you can also play your part in helping others to feel better too, whether offering a friendly ear or helping someone in need.

“Small acts of kindness can go such a long way. But, as we help others, we mustn’t forget to nurture ourselves, by taking the time to focus on the things that make us feel happy too.”

The online classroom was created in response to the coronavirus lockdown and supports teachers educating their pupils remotely. Since its launch it has delivered more than 12 million lessons to children and young people.

The Oak National Academy is part of the Reach Foundation, a charitable organisation founded by philanthropists Mark and Wendy Wilson to help children in need, and the online resource describes itself as a community of school leaders, teachers and supporting team members.

Every Thursday morning it hosts assemblies for students across the UK, allowing them to experience the normal routine of a school environment.

During the event Kate will join a video call with students from Waterloo Primary Academy in Blackpool, whose parents have been working on the front line during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The children will share photographs they have submitted to the duchess’s Hold Still project, based around one of its central themes – acts of kindness – and discuss some of the ways they had been spreading goodwill.

Oak National Academy principal Matt Hood said: “We’re thrilled that the Duchess of Cambridge was able to lead this week’s assembly on acts of kindness. Being kind and considerate is a vital lesson for children at any time, but especially so in the current pandemic.

“We must encourage young people to talk about their feelings and to know that it’s normal to feel a bit anxious or upset right now.

“The duchess’s Hold Still competition is a fantastic way to get children engaging with their mental wellbeing as they think about what kindness means to them and how they can show it towards others.”