Slindon College, near Arundel, has achieved the School Mental Health Award, delivered by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.
Slindon College was awarded a Silver standard for its outstanding mental health and well-being provision.
Sotiria Vlahodimou, Headteacher at Slindon College, said: “We are delighted to receive this award and the recognition that goes with it for our hardworking team, who are so very skilled and experienced at looking after our pupils’ mental fitness.
“Each pupil at Slindon College is supported and nurtured to ensure their personal development and all-round well-being.”
Adam Sharpe, Slindon College’s SENCo, with pupils at Slindon College and the Carnegie Mental Health Silver Award
Activities to boost well-being
Slindon College provides a wide range of activities to boost the well-being of pupils and staff.
This includes weekly woodland walks, time-to-talk sessions, termly staff meetings focused on well-being, and a range of events that support the college community’s mental fitness.
The College also has a Slindon Memory Tree, which encourages pupils to reflect and journal their feelings in a safe space.
Local and regional impact
To achieve the Silver Standard Carnegie Award, a school’s mental health provision needs to have an impact at a local and regional level.
Slindon College’s SENCo has visited local primary schools to deliver sessions to pupils on mental fitness.
He has also shared information with local headteachers on how the College is helping to improve the mental fitness of staff.
Adam Sharpe, Slindon College’s SENCo and Mental Fitness Lead, said: “The award process has helped us to recognise just how much we do to support the mental health of those in our College community. It provided an excellent framework to improve the ways we can monitor well-being and adapt the support we offer to our pupils.
“The award has also been a catalyst for the College to look beyond Slindon House and at how we can support other local settings to improve their mental health provision and share good practice.”
About the award
The award was established in 2017 by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools – part of Leeds Beckett University – and the social enterprise Minds Ahead.
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 Slindon College and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”
More information
To find out more about Slindon College and to register for our next Open Morning on the 9th March 2024, please visit www.slindoncollege.co.uk.
