Clare Mount Scoops National Mental Health in Schools Award

Press Release: March 18th 2021

A Wirral school has achieved the School Mental Health Award, which is delivered by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools. Clare Mount Specialist Sports College has been awarded the Gold standard for its outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision.

Clare Mount becomes the first Wirral school to be awarded the prestigious Mental Health in Schools Award at gold level. The award acknowledges Clare Mount's whole-school approach to mental health and the school has been judged as 'excelling' in the areas of leadership and management; structure, organisation and support for staff and students, parent / carer engagement, work with external agencies and professional development and learning.

Clare Mount provides a wide range of activities to boost the wellbeing of pupils and staff, including an annual wellbeing week, termly wellbeing days, full-time staff dedicated to supporting young people experiencing poor mental health and a range of activities to support the wellbeing of staff.

The school is also a founder member of both the North West Healthy Futures network and the national ‘Well-Schools’ movement

Clare Mount head teacher Kim Webster said: “I am so pleased for every member of our very special community that the support, care and respect that we all have for each other is recognised through this award.” “The award process has helped us to look closely at all our school systems and make changes that ensure we will continue to be a happy, healthy community for years to come.”

A focal point of the school’s mental health and wellbeing provision is working closely with parents / carers, especially as Clare Mount’s students begin their time at school in year 7. All decisions about school policy and practice are made with the wellbeing of the students at heart.

Mrs Webster said: “The whole Clare Mount community understands that their primary, collective role is in ensuring that all members of the community feel safe, settled and happy. The effect that ALL policy and practice has on this is at the forefront of everyone’s mind at times of change and external pressure. Staff and students alike are proud to be members of the Clare Mount community and are determined that the schools remains a happy place to work and learn.”

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 Clare Mount in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”

Nationally, more than 600 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 Clare Mount and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”

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