Successful schools

Bents Green- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Bents Green School provides specialist education for young people aged 11-19 with Autistic Spectrum Conditions and Communication and Interaction difficulties.

At Bents Green School we are fully committed to enabling all our students to fulfil their potential both academically, socially and emotionally. We pride ourselves on delivering high quality education provision in a safe, accepting and nurturing environment. We support our students to develop the knowledge, skills and cultural capital they require to enable them to be educated citizens, contribute meaningfully to society and live happy, fulfilling lives. Bents Green Learning Community is extremely proud to offer Forest School as part of the curriculum at our Ringinglow Road site. Our outdoor learning teacher is a qualified Forest School Level 3 Practitioner and Specialist Leader in Education (SLE) for outdoor learning and forest school. Most students in Years 7-10 take part in weekly sessions in our beautiful grounds or in local woods. Sessions run throughout the school year, encompassing all four seasons. Staff at Bents Green School provide an environment of both physical and psychological safety and have the skills to respond to those who have been impacted by traumatic stress.The school fully understands and supports the impact that connection with a trusted, emotionally available adult has on a child and seek to maximise this for those in our care who are identified as requiring additional support. We use the PACE approach which focuses on building trusting relationships, emotional connections, containment and a sense of security. We have a specially trained Trauma and Mental Health Informed Practitioner who delivers regular trauma informed training and support for staff. They support staff to deliver specialist therapies to students who have or are experiencing trauma and who can support parents and families using the PACE approach to ensure students and their families who have or are facing adversity feel safe and supported.

"Bents Green is a happy school where there is a contagious sense of joy and love for one another at every level. Staff feel supported, cared for and valued. They talk about being empowered and this is evident in practice. One member of staff said this is the place to be and the skies are the limit here. Staff are
encouraged to develop their skills and interests and there are no glass ceilings to prevent this. Children love coming to school, they run in in the morning and are happy. One young man told us how it is a fantastic place to be saying “we laugh, cry and play together.” This was evident in all the interactions
observed during the visit and being playful was a particular strength. The school is really well resourced and interventions are well targeted to meet needs. Staff are responsive to the needs of individuals and children get exactly what they need from the relationships. Children are taught to understand their feelings and to develop the words to express these where possible or to express themselves using the communication tools that they have. The trauma informed approach is embedded across the school. This was reflected in the sensorily rich environment, relationships at every level and the high-quality interventions that take place. I have no hesitation in recommending the school for the TISUK Award."

Glan Gele- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Ysgol Glan Gele is a 300+ pupil Infant school situated on the North Wales coast at Abergele in the county of Conwy. The catchment the school serves is mixed and many of our pupil and families face challenge in their daily lives. The area the school serves is recognised as deprived in the Welsh Government Indices of Multiple deprivation. Our FSM entitlement is much higher than the Welsh and UK average. We are an inclusive school and hold the IQM Centre of Excellence accreditation. As a Welsh Foundation Phase school we use our outdoors extensively and deliver Forest and Beach Schools on a weekly basis to our pupils. We believe in ensuring that every child is given the opportunity to feel safe in school and to reach their true potential. Our mission statement is ‘Happy and secure as we all learn together.’ Pupil wellbeing is central to our work and we are looking forward to the introduction of the New Curriculum for Wales in 2022 which gives the highest priority to health and wellbeing. The school has a supportive parent body and Board of Governors who work in partnership with staff to ensure the education our pupils receive is of the highest standard.

"Ysgol Glan Gele provides a warm, caring and compassionate environment in which all children are supported to flourish and feel happy and secure as they all learn together. Because of the positive relationships between adults and young people that are consistent and PACEful there is a shared joy in learning. The school has a team of effective TIS Practitioners who are highly skilled, passionate and dedicated to their work. The school understand the catchment area and vulnerabilities that families face and seek to ensure that they are well supported an equipped to succeed – it is recognized that the TIS approach is about every child.

My overriding memory will be of the smiling happy faces of the children as they enjoyed their day at school and the words from one child who told me, “The best thing about my school is the teachers because they help you when you are sad!’."

Engage- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Engage

"Engage provides a warm, caring and compassionate environment in which vulnerable children are supported to flourish enabling them to return to mainstream schools successfully. Because of the positive relationships between adults and young people that are consistent and PACEful there is a shared joy in learning. Young people form lasting, trusting connections with staff and return to the centre to seek them out. The centre is led by a TIS Practitioner who is highly skilled, passionate and dedicated to the work at Engage and within the wider Snowden Village. She works tirelessly on behalf of the young people and ensures that all staff are consistent in the therapeutic approaches they use.

The centre teaches PSHE effectively both discreetly and throughout the curriculum. Mental health is taught in addition to the PSHE curriculum and psycho education is valued. It has good links with other agencies, schools and the excellent practice at Engage is sought by other schools.

The centre understands the anxiety that families face and seeks to ensure that they are well supported both while the students are attending the centre and when they return to their mainstream schools. Engage is a haven for young people that supports their needs, advocates on their behalf and restores their belief in themselves."

Pen Y Cwm- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Pen Y Cwn

"Pen y Cwm provides a safe, caring and inviting environment in which the children are supported by every member of staff from the minute they arrive at school to when they leave. The children are happy and enjoy school because the relationships between them and the adults are consistent and PACEful. The school’s TIS practitioners are excellent role models and they continually support staff with their practice. The school is led by a passionate, effective head teacher whose values are learner-centred and support the ethos of empowering and supporting the children as individuals in order that they can achieve their full potential; this notion is shared widely with all stakeholders. The willingness and supportive nature of the staff team to implement trauma informed approaches to support the direction of the school is clearly evident. Positive home-school links exist and are reinforced through the use of ClassDojo – allowing for daily contact that reflects the PRRRs. The children are safe in school, everyone is treated equally and they have access to emotionally available adults. Staff express a feeling of collective support that exists between all colleagues – they support each other. The hard work of the adults in school is acknowledged and recognised by Senior Leadership Team. The use of evidence-based interventions across the school ensures children have access to appropriate and supportive mechanisms that reflect the PRRRs. The caring nature of the staff is an obvious asset to the enhancement of relationships throughout the school."

Corrie Primary- Mentally Healthy Schools Award

Corrie Primary

"Corrie Primary and Nursery School is a warm and caring school with a welcoming and nurturing environment that places relationships central to its work with its children and their families. The school is committed to ensuring that all children and adults are well supported, and that positive emotional and mental health is a priority, fully understanding that children cannot learn unless they feel psychologically safe. The school is full of fun and laughter and the interactions between staff and children are PACEful, which furthers enhances the school’s environment. When facilitating emotive conversations with children, staff attune appropriately conveying their understanding and actively listening to the children. Corrie Primary and Nursery School through it’s creative and supportive provision enables children to identify their own individual interests and therefore develop a genuine love of learning. The children feel safe and enjoy attending school. When asked what makes Corrie Primary School special, the children said, “everybody in it”. The children were keen to share that they can speak to anyone in school if they need help or if they have any worries, because the teachers care about them. The school has worked hard to ensure they create an environment conducive to good emotional wellbeing and positive mental health and should be extremely proud of all they have achieved. The school provides a safe and supportive environment, that is socially engaging and where all children can thrive."

Snowdon Village- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Snowdon Village

" Snowdon Village provides a warm caring and compassionate environment in which vulnerable children from across the city and surrounding area are supported by empathic staff to flourish. Due to the positive relationships between the staff and young people that are consistent and PACEful, there is a shared joy and celebration of learning and achievement. The students form lasting and trusting connections with the staff from their school and return to seek out those trusting adults who supported and helped them. The School’s TIS practitioner is highly skilled, passionate and dedicated to the work she does within Snowdon Village. PHSE is taught effectively and with flexibility both discreetly and throughout the curriculum to support all pupils. Mental health is also taught, and the value of psycho education is recognised.

Snowdon Village has good links with other agencies and local schools and use these to ensure pupils have access to a range of support and development opportunities. The school is led by a dedicated and trauma aware principal who, with the support of the Academy Council, ensure both the pupils’ and staff ‘s mental health needs are supported and given priority. "

Swn Y Don- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Swn Y Don

"Swn y Don provides a safe, caring and inviting environment in which the children are supported by every member of staff from the minute they arrive at school to when they leave. This is true on a day-to-day basis as well as for their school career. The children are happy and enjoy school because the relationships between them and the adults are consistent and PACEful. The schools’ lead TIS practitioner is an excellent role model and supports staff to develop their practice. The school is led by a passionate, effective head teacher whose values are child-centred and shared widely with stakeholders. The willingness and supportive nature of the staff team to implement trauma informed approaches to support the direction of the school is clearly evident. The meet and greet at the school gate each morning by the Head teacher and at the classroom doors by staff further evidences the understanding of the value of this as a protective factor. The children express that they feel safe in school, everyone is treated equally and they can talk to any adult – indeed they are encouraged to. Staff too echo the feeling of collective support that exists between all colleagues on an informal basis – they support each other. There is a real ‘we’ culture and ethos. The use of evidence-based interventions across the school ensure children have access to appropriate and supportive mechanisms that reflect the PRRRs. Syd, the dog, is an obvious asset to the enhancement of relationships throughout the school – she is loved, appreciated and mentioned often and utilised for both regulation and reward.

My overriding memory will be of the smiling happy faces of the children as they entered school and the words from one child who told me, “The best thing about my school is everything’!"

School for Inspiring Talents- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

The School for Inspiring Talents is an Independent therapeutic day schools in the South West. They support families and young people aged 5-16, helping those children who do not find it easy to fit into an existing mainstream educational provision for many reasons, including a range of behavioural, emotional and educational challenges including difficulties such as sensory processing disorders, attachment disorders and those having experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

They provide the appropriate support, care, nurture and educational strategies that will allow these amazing young people to succeed in reaching for their dreams, to achieve the skills and talents that they will need to flourish in their lives, despite their challenges and difficulties, indeed sometimes because of them. The school fosters the dreams and talents of our students, parents, staff and the wider community so that these young people can have successful life chances.

Their innovative model directly addresses their students’ unmet needs through nurture, inspiration, motivation, support and care, to enable learning through a very different educational approach. The school has created an environment that combines both special school and alternative provision in a new and innovative way. Working in the school’s holistic way will make the most positive difference to the life chances of these young people.

St Wilfreds Academy- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Delta St Wilfrid’s Academy is an all-through (KS2-4) Alternative Provision (PAN 125) that provides full and part-time education and support for children and young people who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to access mainstream curriculum education and require a bespoke package. The Academy serves a range of primary and secondary schools across Doncaster and neighbouring local authorities.

St Wilfrid’s Academy has a transient cohort, particularly from Y3-9. Doncaster Local Authority commission 35 places across KS2 & 3, to provide day 6 provision for permanently excluded pupils, and preventative, 6-weekly assessment placements, following which students are reintegrated back into school or more appropriate longer-term provision. KS4 places are directly commissioned by the local authority and mainstream schools, with bespoke curriculum pathways identified for each learner.

They are a highly inclusive school with a well-established team of staff who are experienced in supporting young people to regulate and re-engage with learning. Positive relationships are central to everything the school do and trauma informed approaches are well embedded.

"St Wilfreds is a warm, caring and compassionate school in which children are welcomed and cared for by all adults. Adults have a clear understanding of the needs of the children and young people and are curious about what has happened to them and how they can best support them. All staff are well supported and feel that their wellbeing is important. There is a great team ethos and all staff are valued for the contributions that they make. There are a range of interventions in place to support children and young people and the PLA team are central to this support. They are truly champions of the children they are allocated. The school is forward looking and continually seeking ways to enhance the provision for students to ensure that they live life well and leave with the best opportunity to lead healthy lives."

Brynllywarch Hall School- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Brynllywarch Hall School is a school for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The school is situated in mid-Wales, just outside the small, rural village of Kerry and surrounded by countryside. The school has several facilities set up to help promote positive mental health and wellbeing for the pupils. There is an animal house and small farm alongside a forest, which enables our pupils to spend as much time with animals and around nature as possible. An environment which really helps our learners to regulate. There is also a Music house and workshop which pupils can access to use as an outlet for creative passions, as well as making things to sell through enterprise projects.

The importance of positive relationships between all members of our school community is outlined in the school vision –‘Brynllywarch Hall School provides a fresh start where there are high expectations through challenge for all by all. Quality teaching and nurture enables all of our students to manage their emotions and take their place in society as lifelong learners.

"Brynllywarch Hall is a warm, caring environment in which young people thrive because of the outstanding positive relationships that exist between staff and young people. Every adult knows the children well and delights in the success that they achieve, no matter how small that may be. Young people enjoy talking to adults and are able to talk to them about day-to-day events as well as painful life experiences.

The school has been on a journey of improvement which has resulted in the development of nurturing classes with emotionally available adults that are consistently and readily accessible to the young people. All adults understand that young people need to develop life skills that will enable them to live life well both academically and socially but recognise that wellbeing and positive mental health sits at the heart of that and is what comes first to make that possible."

Springwell Leeds- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Springwell Leeds is a specialist academy, established in September 2016, which serves the whole of Leeds. They aim to provide the best possible care and education that we can for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs between the ages of 5 and 16.

Since the school opened in September 2016 they have grown from around 80 staff and 90 pupils to around 210 staff and 300 pupils. They will continue to grow across 2021-22 until they can provide for 340 students

"Springwell Leeds is a caring and compassionate environment where adults have real empathy for the children and the families they are supporting. They have a values driven ethos which has mental wellbeing at its heart. All adults have ambition and aspirations for the young people to be able to engage fully in the community and live life well. The curriculum and timetable is developed to reflect this.

Students actively engage in real world experiences that prepare them well for adulthood. Students articulated really clearly the journey they have travelled and how they have moved from mistrust to trust in their relationships with the adults in the school and are now help seeking. Not only that but they have real self-awareness and an understanding of the impact of their behaviour on others."

Red Moor School- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Red Moor School is a specialist provision positioned in Lanvliery in mid Cornwall. The school provides full-time specialist co-education for up to 36 children and young people who have social, emotional, mental health and communication difficulties or associated challenging behaviours that challenge. Unable to achieve in a mainstream environment, our aim is to support students to excel by providing a structured, nurturing approach, with students accessing a broad, balanced, engaging and extraordinarily rich curriculum.

"Redmoor School is a warm caring school where promoting positive relationships is embedded across the whole culture. All staff model pro social skills, key relational skills and use therapeutic language which helps to support students to feel listened to understood and valued. This starts from the moment children arrive at the school gate where they are greeted warmly. Adults are highly skilled in noticing changes in young people’s behaviour and they pick up on subtle cues quickly to support students. Staff wellbeing is prioritised and this in turn means that all young people are supported by adults that are steady and able to contain the emotions young people effectively."

Clements Primary Academy- Trauma and Mental Health Informed School Award

Clements Primary Academy is a mainstream primary school in Haverhill, Suffolk that supports all children to achieve their potential. The needs of the children are paramount. Children and staff feel safe, respected and cared for. Relationships are at the absolute heart of the school’s core values.

"The school has been on an interesting, courageous and inspiring journey in recent years. In terms of the staff group and children enrolled, they are largely the same. However, within two years, fixed term exclusions have reduced from 34% to 0%. This is partly due to a significant shift from a stark behaviourist approach to one that is underpinned by understanding, compassion, respect and curiosity. Staff have wholeheartedly embraced and implemented key elements of trauma-informed practice which they have done with heightened self-awareness and significant courage to do things differently."

Open Box Education

In 2005, many years before a comprehensive understanding of the neuroscience of trauma and attachment was commonplace in education, a small group of volunteers decided to set up an educational charity based on the premise that kindness, nurture, understanding and community are vital for supporting students who have experienced trauma and exclusion from mainstream education.

16 years later, Open Box Education Centre operates as a small independent alternative provision school, providing a nurturing, caring and vibrant environment which supports KS4 students to meet their full potential, academically and as individual young adults, and prepares them to take the next step towards realising their aspirations with hope and confidence.

Over the last 16 years, our amazing staff team has supported hundreds of Year 10 and 11 students to achieve qualifications, build skills, gain confidence and self-esteem and experience acceptance and success before moving on to college, apprenticeships and employment.

They work on the principle that young people can thrive and achieve when they are able to recognise and experience positive RELATIONSHIPS, build and develop RESILIENCE and have access to a range of creative and educational RESOURCES.

The school aims to provide:

A place that is nurturing and small with a bespoke curriculum that is designed around each student’s individual social, emotional, behavioural and learning needs.
A place that provides an ‘educational home’ for those who may have found themselves ‘educationally homeless’ through permanent exclusion, moving home at a difficult time or unwise elective home education.
A place for those who have experienced hurt or trauma where they can find hope, healing and wholeness, as well as finish their education in an environment that understands the impact of trauma and attachment on learning and behaviour.

"The school clearly meets the criteria for the TIS award. Open Box doesn’t stand still and consistently explores how to broaden and deepen the students’ experience. In the consistent embodiment of the school’s core values, staff create an environment in which trusting relationships flourish. Every adult is an Emotionally Available Adult and over time, students re-shape and re-frame their sense of self and their belief in what they can achieve. In the consistent embodiment of the school’s core values, and the embodiment of PACE and WINE, staff have created an environment in which children feel safe, trusting relationships flourish and children feel a true sense of belonging."

Springwell Mablethorpe

Springwell Alternative Academy Mablethorpe is a Specialist Alternative Provision for pupils with Social, emotional and mental health difficulties. They provide education for pupils from KS1 through to KS4 (Y1-Y11). Pupils in KS4 will usually stay with us until the end of Y11 but for pupils in KS1-3 (Y1-9) we are a short stay provision. There is no set time for this process and it will depend on each individual child or young person’s needs. Regardless of their next steps they aim for pupils to leave Springwell feeling valued and successful.

"Springwell offers a haven for vulnerable children and young people. It is a warm, nurturing environment that sets high expectations and encourages young people to achieve their very best within culture that respects the individuality and uniqueness of each child and young person. Springwell promotes unconditional positive regard and all adults practice this in their interactions and interventions with children and each other. Students speak highly of the school and describe it as a place to have fun where adults are friendly and supportive, and everyone gets along like a family."

Rivermead Routes for Reintegration

We are a Social, Emotional and Mental Health specialist school; a holistic and educational wrap around provision, with an experienced team, supporting secondary aged learners in accessing education and finding their way back into a learning environment.

We are all a friendly bunch who pride ourselves on offering a safe, caring and enabling environment and who are dedicated, supportive and understanding.

Learning is not our only focus; primarily, it is about improving well-being and self-worth via Protect, Relate, Regulate and Reflect. We endeavour to help learners make informed decisions that will lead them onto the path of fulfilling their potential and go onto the next phase in their learning.

By providing bespoke, personalised learning and well-being programmes that include an emphasis on regaining and building up self-esteem, self-confidence and self-worth; we enable our learners to reintegrate and transition back into their home schools.

“Triple R is a relatively new and small alternative provision that provides both home and hospital tuition as well as school-based provision and reintegration support. In the short time it has been open it has established itself as a warm, caring environment for young people with very complex needs that has become a haven for those who attend. Staff are highly skilled in the jobs they do and the he passion and care shown by senior leaders in the school is exceptional.

For many of the young people who attend school they have given up on education and can see no meaningful future for themselves. Triple R is helping them to recover, to develop a more positive view of themselves and to ignite a desire to live life well. The school richly deserves the Trauma Informed School Award. "

Gladstone Primary

Gladstone is a large mainstream Primary School in Barry, The Vale of Glamorgan. We have 500 children and 2 SEMH ( social , emotional, and mental health) classes for Foundation Phase and Ks2 children who have experienced significant trauma within their lives.

We are a happy school with a fair number of challenges and we always hold our emotions and our relationships ( children and staff) central to all that we do.

We have embedded trauma informed practice through everything that we do and currently have 26 trauma informed practitioners ,including all senior management, throughout both Key Stages.

“Gladstone is an inspirational school where children are cared for and nurtured by a team of highly trained and supportive adults. It is a school that enables children to develop within an environment that is sensorially rich, and carefully planned to support emotional wellbeing. All school leaders, including governors, fully appreciate the importance of supporting positive mental health and this is prioritised at all times. The school has created an environment that supports all children with safe spaces, quiet areas, a memorial garden as well as outdoor space. Children talked with enthusiasm about the school and clearly enjoy being part of the Gladstone family. Staff also love being part of this team and enjoy their work. The school richly deserves the Trauma Informed School Award."

Ysgol Bryn Derw

Ysgol Bryn Derw is the only dedicated ASD Special School in Gwent. The name of the school translates as Oak Hill, and we see our mission as to help pupils to overcome their individual obstacles to learning (the hill) and to help our pupils flourish into well-equipped adults who can function successfully in their community (the growing oak tree).

Ysgol Bryn Derw opened in September 2017 and is a Local Education Authority maintained, special day school which educates children and young people with Autism and associated learning difficulties, in the age range of 4-19 years. The school has a range of facilities including independent living skills areas, a Rebound Therapy room, soft-play and sensory rooms, Forest School area and bespoke classrooms. In February 2020 a refurbished building for Secondary age pupils was opened with a living skills kitchen and two additional classrooms. The range of therapeutic interventions is broad and includes Music Therapy, visits from Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists, and Rebound Therapy.

“Ysgol Bryn Derw has fully embedded the principles and practice expected in a Trauma Informed School. Over the last four years it has grown into a fully inclusive environment for children with complex learning, communication, and ASC needs. Staff are dedicated to ensuring that all young people feel safe and are cared for. The structure of the day and the curriculum is carefully planned to meet the individual needs of the young people and they are celebrated for their own unique achievements. Young people know that the adults are there to help them and care for them. They have a positive sense of self-worth and despite their difficulties those who could were able to reflect back the compassion and care shown to them in their relationships with others.”

Penrice Academy

Penrice Academy is a happy, safe and welcoming school community with highly effective support, care and guidance to allow all students to flourish and excel. Alongside the support we provide we are relentless in our expectations and ambitions for each and every one of our students, because our students are incredible and deserve the very best life has to offer.

"Penrice has been on a journey over a number of years to improve the quality of support for mental health and has some outstanding practice. Students, staff and my observations confirm that the school is committed to ensuring that mental health is supported by everyone. Mental health supports the high aspirations set by the school and is not compromised by these. Students are lucky to be at the school and they know this. Staff have a place to work that is supportive exciting and rewarding."

Stonelow Junior School

Stonelow Junior School is a warm, happy and nuturing school where the children are encouraged to challenge themselves, develop resilience and learn from their mistakes. We strive to support individuals so that they are respectful, independent young people who have healthy positive relationships.

Our reflective and empathetic response to learning and relationships enables our children to flourish through school life and to prepare them to shine in adulthood.

“The children, staff and families are supported without judgement in a safe environment which has created an incredible foundation for our school and comminuty to work and learn together".

Springwell Learning Academy Barnsley

Springwell is a genuine community of parents, pupils, staff, governors and multi-agencies working together for the best possible outcomes for our children and young people.

At Springwell, unconditional positive regard is at the heart of the work they do both with the pupils and with their parents/carers. Positive relationships are the foundation of their success, enabling children and young people to thrive because of the authentic care they receive.

“Springwell is a truly inclusive academy. It supports some of the most vulnerable students in Barnsley that have not had their needs met in mainstream settings. The school, through its personalised approach and strong values linked to unconditional positive regard has become a haven to these young people. Many of these students now have good attendance and are willing participants in the learning environment. The school has a dedicated team of professionals working with students who are all well trained, have a secure understanding of trauma, its impact and what they are able to do to repair the damage for young people.”

Newhaven Gardens School

Newhaven School is an exciting and dynamic place to learn and work where they aim for all students to gain the skills, attributes and experiences that prepare them for genuine opportunities in life. It is a place to celebrate the diversity of their students and families and they work hard to ensure they are an inclusive community.

Through the breadth of their curriculum and their focus on non-academic attributes alongside the traditional subjects taught, Newhaven School offers a supportive environment for young people to overcome the barriers to learning that have brought them here and to develop their talents so they can take full advantage of their skills and abilities.

“The school has a well embedded philosophy that understands and promotes the value of positive relationships and the development of a culture that is safe, warm and caring. Students and staff all commented on the importance of these relationships and the way in which they feel supported, listened to and cared for. Staff know the children well and are able to relate to them as they understand some of the challenges and complex issues they are facing.”

Discovery Multi Academy Trust

Discovery Multi Academy Trust is made up of three primary schools- Beechwood, Oakwood and Weston Mill and a time limited nurture placement for children across Plymouth struggling with their SEMH -The Edison Centre.

Through the vision of our CEO, the Trustees and the work of the team they strive to provide all stakeholders with a Trauma Informed approach developing relationships and opening the door to communication. Each school follows a strategic vision but has developed their own strengths- biophilia at Beechwood, pupil voice at Oakwood and SEMH intervention at Weston Mill.

Discovery are keen to help children and adults in Plymouth and the local area and do this by providing CPD, hosting and leading the Plymouth Children Affected by Parental Offending Group and being part of the Trauma Informed Network in Plymouth. They are also looking forward to adding a nursery to their organisation and developing provision for children across the city and beyond.

“Discovery Mat is committed to ensuring that all children and adults are well supported, and that positive emotional and mental health is a priority for the organisation. This vision is reflected in the values and actions of all members of the Discovery Mat Community. The CEO is an inspirational , passionate and determined leader who has made positive mental health and emotional wellbeing the focus of the life of the organisation.”

Springwell Academy Spalding and Grantham

Springwell Alternative Academies Spalding and Grantham provide an education for children who have been excluded from mainstream schools, or who are at risk of exclusion. All of their students have special educational needs, the majority in the area of Social, Emotional and Mental Health. They aim to provide a loving and nurturing environment in which their students can experience safety, enjoyment, and personal as well as academic growth.

“Springwell Academy in Spalding provides a warm, caring and safe environment for vulnerable young people with complex needs. Many of the young people who attend the school have had extremely poor educational experiences and have a background of trauma. Staff at the school welcome these young people with open hearts and genuine delight. This enables them to build strong , trusting positive relationships quickly which in turn helps young people to ask for help and to learn to value themselves.”

“Springwell Academy in Grantham is a warm and caring school that supports the most vulnerable young people by providing an environment that is psychologically and physically safe. Young people are well understood and valued, and all adults understand the importance of having unconditional positive regard when working with the young people. Children are greeted at the beginning of the day by adults that are trusted and showing genuine delight at seeing them arrive.”

Oaktree School

Oak Tree School is a specialist provision positioned near Truro. who provide full-time specialist co-education for up to 51 children (growing to 60 this academic year) aged 7 to 16 who experience social, emotional, mental health, communication difficulties and associated challenging behaviours. The aim is to provide a structured, nurturing approach, with pupils accessing a broad, balanced and engaging curriculum to meet their significant needs.

The key to their setting is quality relationships, with staff committed to ensuring students feel not only safe, but also valued as individuals so they are in a much better place to learn. This underpins all they do as a school. Their class sizes are very small, and this allows them to support students well, with a high staff ratio, and an incredibly personalised curriculum.

“This is a school that has the individual needs of the children at the heart of its provision. Through positive relationships, rooted in the principles of PACE, and carefully targeted interventions young people grow and develop transforming their life chances and social experiences.” TISUK Senior Consultant

Penryn Primary Academy

Penryn Primary Academy is an above-average sized school in Cornwall for children from 2-11. It serves a diverse catchment and prides itself on responding to individual children’s needs, based around a Trauma and Mental Health Informed Schools approach. Their aim is to ensure that every child has the opportunity to enjoy their school life and to achieve their maximum potential within a supported, vibrant, whole child centred environment. It is Penryn’s belief that working closely with families is the key to success.

“Penryn is a truly inclusive school. The school has been on a journey of transformation and cultural change. There is now an agreed and collective vision focussed on fostering positive relationships and meeting the needs of children whatever they may be. The school is calm and happy. The children all spoke warmly about the school and how much they like it including children in the ARB or those who are engaged in TIS interventions. The school has a clear understanding of trauma and the impact this has on the lives of children and is also clear about what it can do to improve this. The focus is on ensuring that children are mentally well so that they can engage in the learning environment. The school have moved from one predicated on controlling and containing behaviour to one which supports and encourages positive relationships and emotional wellbeing.” TISUK Senior Consultant

Holte School

Holte School care deeply for all students; for their education, and safety, their personal development and their well-being. The School value all children as individuals, nurturing their creative talents, working relentlessly to make sure that they have the highest aspirations and are motivated to flourish and succeed in everything they do.

The school believe that education is about more than just academic achievement and work to engage and enhance all aspects of their student’s lives and in doing so help them to determine their own future, with a good understanding of the world and opportunities around them.

The school is a highly inclusive school community where every individual matters. The community that they serve is blessed with a rich diversity of languages, cultures and faiths. This is a school where students of every ethnic background, boys and girls, student with disabilities or special educational needs are celebrated and thrive equally.

“Leaders and other adults are passionate and committed to supporting the mental health of the children and young people. The provision is enabling young people to experience success academically but fundamentally to repair and restore their mental health and wellbeing and develop positive self-esteem.” TISUK Senior Consultant

Connor Downs Academy

Connor Downs Academy is situated in the village of Connor Downs and currently has 204 children on roll. Connor Downs is a very happy, inclusive and successful school. Their high standards are sustained because staff, hub councillors, parents/carers and children work together in an atmosphere of mutual trust and care, respecting the distinguishing features of the local community.

“Connor Downs is an inspirational school where children are cared for and nurtured by a team of highly trained and supportive adults. It is a school that enables children to develop within an environment that is sensorially rich, and carefully planned to support emotional well being. The value placed on the natural environment and the opportunities provided is excellent enabling children to explore the world through horticulture, animal husbandry and engaging in outdoor play. The school is calm and purposeful. Children talk with enthusiasm about the school and clearly enjoy being part of the Connor Downs family. Staff also love being part of this team and enjoy their work. The school richly deserves the Trauma Informed School Award.” TISUK Senior Consultant

Castle Hill Infant and Junior School

Castle Hill Infants and Juniors is large school that feels like a small school – they know each and every one of their children well and as a result are able to make sure that each child achieves their personal best. The school is a happy place with a curriculum designed to excite, inspire and motivate children to acquire the knowledge and skills that will successfully prepare them for their future. They are very proud of their happy and nurturing ethos, where each child is valued and supported as an individual. The children are at the heart of everything that they do.

“Castle Hill is a caring and nurturing school that places children at the heart of everything they do. The leadership of the school is passionate about the wellbeing of the children and is completely dedicated in its approach to the development of positive mental health. This single-minded determination has enabled them to positively transform not only the wellbeing of individual children but also the behaviour of children across the school. The school is a happy environment that supports learning though excellent relationships and a creative and engaging approach to learning.“ TISUK Senior Consultant

Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln

Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln is a provision for pupils who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools, or who are at risk of being permanently excluded. They are passionate about it being run on Nurture principles and embedded with PACE and trauma-informed and mental health-informed practice. Staff give students a fresh start every day. Grudges are not held, and relationships are rebuilt. They seek to see the best in every student, build caring, trusted relationships, and help students be the best they can be. Springwell Alternative Academy Lincoln wants to provide a safe and secure environment in which its students and staff can thrive.

"The school has clearly been on an exciting and inspiring journey. It has developed from one where a behaviourist approach dominated to one that is underpinned by positive, caring relationships based on an assumption that with the right support and care children can achieve, flourish and have the potential to live life well. The passion, commitment and skills of the adults enable children to feel safe, develop their self-worth and to develop the capacity to recognise and manage the challenges they face . The culture and ethos of the school is one of care for everyone in the community - staff , children and young people and families." TISUK Senior Consultant

Wilds Lodge School

Wilds Lodge School is an independent specialist boarding and day provision for boys and girls (girls are accepted as day students only) with social, emotional and mental health difficulties aged between 5 and 19. It was established in 2007 and aims to place an equal emphasis on the educational, social and psychological development of our students. The key to the success of the school is a strong ethos, developed by a highly experienced and capable staff, and the strength of the relationships between the staff and the students.

“The school is founded on a strongly held belief that children need and are entitled to, a high quality therapeutic, academic and social environment in which to thrive. The development of these principles within the setting of Wilds Lodge is giving children who had no hope and were lost within a mainstream system, opportunities not only to engage in learning but to thrive. The adults that work in the school are highly trained empathic and caring people who interact positively with the children at all times. Children achieve well at Wilds Lodge because they are emotionally well cared for and understood.” TISUK Senior consultant

Meadow View Farm School

Meadow View Farm School caters for up to 36 boys and girls SEMH needs. The aim of the school is to work with the children to help them to learn how to manage their behaviour enabling them, where possible, to return to mainstream or area special provisions. Meadow View Farm School has a strong belief built around “readiness to learn”. The school promotes positive mental heath for all and does everything in its power to ensure that our systems and expectations do not have a detrimental impact on the children and families we are working with. 100% of the children and families we work with have experienced trauma in their lives, as part of an early life experience or as part of the journey leading to them joining the school.

“Meadow View is an inspiring school that is committed to improving not only the education but the lives of the children who attend there. Its unique and carefully balanced approach to the development of emotional well-being, high aspirations and academic outcomes enables children opportunities for success that has previously been denied them. The school knows that academic achievement is important and strives to ensure that the curriculum is exciting and engaging to support this, but it also recognises that first and foremost the children need to feel safe, trusting and emotionally well in order to access and benefit from this.” TISUK Senior Consultant

Crownbridge School

Crownbridge school aim to provide a rich leaning environment with a variety of learning experiences which are geared towards enabling each pupil to experience success in a happy, caring and secure environment. However, more and more, they understand that the pupil’s well being is as important as their curriculum needs. They strive to promote positive mental health in a variety of ways to help pupils and staff through not only their school/work experience, but through all aspects of their life. They are proactive in ensuring an ethos, environment and relationships to not only protect all children and young people from harm, but also actively promote positive emotional and mental health and social development. The school works closely with families and outside agencies such as, social services to ensure they have a well-rounded picture of their pupils. Within the school, there are staff specialised in TIS, Positive Behaviour, MOVE, Pet Therapy, Rebound, SALT, Physiotherapy, Hydrotherapy, Attention Autism amongst many that support our pupils needs.

“Crownbridge School is a warm, caring school that supports its young people trough carefully constructed personalised plans that are delivered within an environment that is playful, accepting , curious and emphatic. The adults are exceptionally supportive towards the children and the levels of care given ensure that children settle quickly and love coming to school. The school environment has been carefully developed and is sensorially rich. Children are encouraged to follow learning pathways that reflect their needs and interests and as a result they are developing positive self esteem and better mental wellbeing.”

Ysgol Y Deri

Ysgol Y Deri is a special school for pupils aged 3 to 19 who have a very wide range of conditions, diagnoses, mental health difficulties and cognitive ability. Within the same school, there are pupils who have profound and multiple learning difficulties working on the very early developmental skills as well as pupils who are working towards GCSEs who have a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome and experience very high levels of anxiety. They strive to ensure that the environment, innovative curriculum and trauma and mental health informed approach ensures all pupils can flourish.

“Ysgol Y Deri is an inspiring environment in which young people are nurtured and supported to thrive, often in the most complex and challenging of circumstances. The foundation underpinning the work of the school is that positive relationships and connectedness with the young people is paramount. Then and only then is it possible to secure the best outcomes.”

Clements Primary Academy

"In the consistent embodiment of the school’s core values, and the embodiment of PACE and WINE, staff have created an environment in which children feel safe, trusting relationships flourish and children feel a true sense of belonging."

Open Box Education Centre

“The school clearly meets the criteria for the TIS award. Open Box doesn’t stand still and consistently explores how to broaden and deepen the students’ experience. In the consistent embodiment of the school’s core values, staff create an environment in which trusting relationships flourish. Every adult is an Emotionally Available Adult and over time, students re-shape and re-frame their sense of self and their belief in what they can achieve. The school has strong and effective partnerships with agencies/support systems beyond school and refers out without hesitation if a need is identified that cannot be met within school.”

Highfields (Stockport)

Highfields has been on a journey of change these past 3 years, transforming from an old-style Pupil Referral Unit - primarily as a containment centre for excluded students - to a school with a specific focus on rebuilding the child-adult relationship.

We are about academic results at Highfields - we have to be. But we are equally about providing an education to a specific cohort that particularly requires a trauma-informed and attachment-friendly approach.

We have found the process of applying for the TISUK award to be affirming and challenging in equal measure - and we look forward to continuing to evolve our practice over the coming years alongside TISUK and other connected schools.

“Highfields (Sockport) has been on a journey of improvement over recent years. Due to the commitment and unwavering determination of the Head, Deputy, Governors and other key staff it has transformed practice to become a truly inclusive, nurturing environment. There have been no permanent exclusions and there are no unofficial exclusions either. Staff have been given access to a range of training and as a result are skilled in supporting all children who attend the provision. The Head is clear that attending Highfields is not as a result of losing a mainstream placement but winning a place there. Students are valued for who they are and encouraged to engage in a range of activities that reflect their interests. All staff understand the impact of trauma and poor mental health and are skilled at supporting children and each other to ensure that there is always someone to talk to and who cares about what is happening in their lives. Children who attend Highfields have a second chance at education that staff and Governors are determined will be positive and successful. Their care, commitment and determination ensures that no child is unsupported or overlooked.”