A Redcar-based secondary school has been awarded Silver Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award.

This award, led by Carnegie School of Education and Minds Ahead CIC, ensures schools are using evidence-based approaches, aligned to the latest professional guidelines surrounding mental health.

The assessment report found that Outwood Academy Bydales had ‘used the framework and content of the Award to good effect to develop their mental health and wellbeing strategies, structures and practices.’

During its assessment, the Coast Road-based academy was found to have demonstrated that it is ‘embracing across all eight competencies of the School Mental Health Award.’

Seana Rice, Principal at Outwood Academy Bydales, said:

“We are delighted to have been awarded Silver Status. It really is a fantastic achievement for the academy and it recognises the hard work of our students and staff.

“At Outwood we are dedicated to putting students first and this goes beyond just academically. We want to ensure our students are supported and are good citizens when they leave us, as well as achieving academically. 

“To this aim, we want to make sure their mental health and wellbeing is looked after. We take immense pride in receiving this award and look forward to continuing to support our staff and students as best we can.”

Within the assessment report is glowing praise of the academy’s support system and its shift to a praise culture:

“To support pupils the school has worked hard to shift to a praise culture where achievement and success is acknowledged and celebrated. There is a praise point system and regular texts home to celebrate what is going well for students.”

The hard work by staff at the academy to adapt to the challenges initiated by the pandemic was noted in the report, which stated that ‘parents have really appreciated the contact during Covid-19, and this has helped build relationships and enabled parents to contact school with smaller concerns.’

Seana added:

“We are all acutely aware of how difficult the last ten months have been for everyone during the pandemic. We take our role as not only educators, but as members of the local community, extremely seriously and we want our students, and their families, to know we are here for them, to support them as best we can.”

These words have been backed up by actions including establishing online services, group calls, and the curation of resources to help its students and their parents during this time.

The award was established in 2017 by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools – part of Leeds Beckett University – and social enterprise Minds Ahead.

The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools aims to strengthen pupils’ mental health by supporting schools to make a positive change at all levels of the UK's education system, improving students’ outcomes and life chances.

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 Academy Bydales in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”

Nationally, more than 800 schools have signed up to take part in the mental health award.

Dean Johnstone, founder and CEO of Minds Ahead said: “This award shines a light on the excellent work schools are doing to promote mental health for their community of children and adults.

“It is thrilling and humbling to learn about Outwood Academy Bydales and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”