Parents often say they choose Thornbury Primary School for their children because it offers such a supportive, nurturing environment with a focus on wellbeing. Now the school has won a national award for its work on this – beating seven other finalists from around the country to win ‘pupil mental health initiative of the year’.
The Tes School Awards celebrate the commitment, quality and innovation shown by teachers and support staff across the UK. Competition is fierce and the judges said this year had seen some incredibly high-quality entries, with the 2023 winners announced in London at the end of last month.Three of Thornbury’s teaching staff were there to pick up their trophy – Mrs Hardisty, Mrs Turner and Mrs Mantel.
Headteacher, Mrs Claire Hardisty, is proud of Thornbury’s whole school approach and innovative schemes, such as ‘Animal Aces’ which is used in every single classroom. This is a system for identifying different animals with different skills and qualities and rewarding children with points when they use the skills of the various animals. It helps them to identify and articulate a really broad range and scale of emotions. This underpins the school’s vision of supporting children to be their best selves, recognise their own unique strengths and characteristics, and being happy to be both the same as – and different from – others.
Mrs Hardisty said: ”Wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do, and we want everyone who steps through the door to be able to sense this.We’re overjoyed to win this award and it is testament to our whole school community. We are a family and everyone that is part of the school community makes it the amazing place that is. Thank you to everyone for all their hard work.”
Commenting on why Thornbury was selected as overall category winner, Judge Tara Portersaid: “This is a school where pupil mental health is central to the philosophy and is woven into everything they do and every possible interaction that occurs in and around the school. It’s extremely effective and admirable.”