Northampton school promotes positive wellbeing and achieves the 'Wellbeing Award'

Pupils and staff at Briar Hill Primary School in Northampton, part of David Ross Education Trust,  have achieved The Wellbeing Award for Schools promoting positive social and emotional wellbeing, mental health for pupils, parents and staff.

The school decided to embark on the award process to ensure that they are at the forefront of learning when it comes to wellbeing and mental health.

They have recognised that this underpins the school community, so therefore great emphasis on ensuring the system, policies and procedures in day to day school life are in line with the best practice.

Briar Hill Primary School were able to achieve this by using a ‘whole-school approach’ where all aspects of the school experience were harnessed to promote the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and staff. Briar Hill used the Wellbeing Award to ensure that staff, students and parents all had an understanding of wellbeing and health using a wide range of techniques, strategies and training opportunities.

Janey Cooksley, Headteacher at Briar Hill Primary School, said “’Our vision is that good emotional wellbeing and mental health are at the heart of our culture and ethos of our school, resulting in improved academic outcomes and confidence of students. For staff, this award has equipped them in learning new skills and being better informed on the issues surrounding mental health. The pupil’s views and ideas are listened to and discussed through the school parliament weekly, and each class has two wellbeing leaders who are there to provide support for other pupils and ‘look out for everyone’.”

The governors and the David Ross Education Trust are committed to ensuring the work around wellbeing and mental health is sustained and embedded in day to day life at school.