21/12/2023

Whitchurch Primary School in North Cardiff has been awarded national recognition for its work to promote health and wellbeing throughout its school community, at the very highest standard.

Assessors for the Welsh Network of the Healthy School Schemes have awarded the "Healthy Schools National Quality Award" (NQA) for demonstrating excellence in all areas of health and wellbeing, with support from Cardiff Council's Healthy Schools Team.

The Healthy Schools National Quality award is an accomplishment which focusses on the importance of pupil participation in core areas of school life, which directly affect the health and wellbeing of children and young people.

The prestigious achievement requires schools to go through a rigorous process spanning at least nine years and recognises the hard work of staff, pupils and their wider school community.

Some of the highlights from the report on Whitchurch Primary School include:

• The school has achieved the Gold Award of the Rights Respecting School and uses the Rights of The Child in virtually all aspects of school life.
• Communication and parental engagement is an outstanding key feature with Healthy Schools news and information conveyed to all members of the school community.

●    The school environment is very welcoming and attractive, providing a stimulating, creative and safe learning environment for all learners.

●    The school benefits from wonderful school grounds, which have been developed to provide numerous outdoor learning opportunities including multiple growing beds, a pond, greenhouse, and outdoor classroom areas.

●    Pupil voice at the school is one of the strongest inspectors have seen, embodying an ethos of ownership and true partnership. Pupils are clear about what their respective roles were and each group completes an Impact and Action review each year to understand the outcomes of the work that they are undertaking.

●        The protection and promotion of good mental health and wellbeing of everyone connected with the school is evident.

●        The Senior Team and teachers have a positive attitude to embracing change and new ideas, meaning the school is constantly evolving and developing and is ready to adapt to needs as they arise, and to local issues.

Headteacher at the school, Ann Griffin said: "We are delighted to have achieved the National Quality Award for Healthy Schools. The award recognises the emphasis and importance Whitchurch Primary School places on developing healthy, emotionally resilient, well-informed young people. Pupil Voice was recognised as a strength of the school."

Cardiff Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "There is a great deal of good working taking place at Whitchurch Primary School to make sure that health and wellbeing is an integral part of school life. The Healthy Schools National Quality is an excellent achievement for Whitchurch Primary School which has required the school to go through a rigorous process spanning at least nine years and acknowledges the positive impact the school's approach is having on pupils and their families."

Whitchurch Primary School becomes the fifteenth school in Cardiff to achieve the NQA.