Primary Academy recognised for ‘excelling in mental health work’

This award, entitled Gold Status, was gifted by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award - a board who ensures schools are using evidence-based approaches, aligned to the latest professional guidelines surrounding mental health.

An assessment report stated that Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane has been praised for building relationships with parents, staff efforts and the academies training in mental health first aid.

Principal Rebecca Hewitt said: “We are proud and honoured to have been awarded Gold Status.

“At Outwood we believe in putting children first and this goes beyond just academically.

"We want to make sure their mental health and well being is looked after.

“The ongoing pandemic has only increased the importance of this work.

"It has been a tough time for everyone and it is so important that we all look out for one another.”

Nationally and Internationally, more than 900 schools signed up to take part in the mental health award scheme.

Despite the ongoing circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the academy was praised for its work in dealing with issues surrounding mental health, the report stated:

"The academy did not allow Covid-19 to stop progress; they achieved a great deal through lockdown to ensure children and their families received both the education and support needed through the lockdown period. Regular communication on Twitter featured alongside high-quality streamed work and resources, and weekly phone calls."

Before labelling the academy as ‘leaders in the field in many respects and in a variety of ways.’

Rebecca said: “We are delighted to be receiving this award, and immensely grateful for the hard work by our brilliant staff that it recognises.

“We want to ensure our staff are fully supported so that in turn the children we teach are supported to be good citizens who are assets to the community, as well as being supported to achieve academically.”

Professor Damien Page, Dean of Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie School of Education, said: “Achieving this award is not just recognition of a whole-school approach to mental health, it’s a recognition of the school’s commitment to improving the life chances of children.

“We’re truly proud to have worked with Outwood Primary Academy Bell Lane in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”