A Doncaster-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 the progress made at Outwood Academy Adwick ‘used the framework and content of the Award to very good effect to further develop their mental health and wellbeing strategies, structures, and practices.’

During its assessment, the Windmill Balk Lane-based academy was found to have provided good support for its staff, students and their families during the pandemic. 

Andy Scruby, Principal at Outwood Academy Adwick, said:

“Being awarded Silver Status is a brilliant feeling as 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 team of ‘Mental Health Ambassadors’:

“The school has a team of Mental Health Ambassadors made up of staff and students and the school’s Mental Health Lead talks of Adwick’s positive, kind, and helpful culture. Their approach of always putting students first has meant outreach work taking place in their community to provide support and resources during Covid and this has also helped to develop stronger relationships with some hard-to-reach parents.”

The academy was also commended for helping to give the students responsibility and ownership of certain projects through initiatives like the Student Parliament and the academy’s ‘Random Acts of Kindness’. This has led to students in the academy volunteering to read to local primary school children as well as other community-based projects..

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.