Doncaster school receives two awards for their work on mental health and inclusion

Outwood Academy Danum based on Armthorpe Road has won two national awards.

They have been awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM and Bronze Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award.

Jayne Gaunt, principal at Outwood Academy Danum, said: “We are pleased to have been awarded Bronze Status.

“It is a solid start as it recognises the hard work of our students and staff in this area.

“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 well being is looked after.

“We take pride in receiving this award and look forward to building on it and continuing to support our staff and students as best we can.”

The school was assessed before it was given an award - the assessment took 12 months.

The report found that staff at Outwood Academy Danum has worked hard to build positive relationships with outside agencies that provide support to SEND students and those with social, emotional and mental health needs.

The academy was found to have made mental well being a high profile subject for both students and staff.

The assessors noted the work the academy had done to help staff in terms of their understanding of the issues and how best to support the pupils that need it.

Jayne said: “The IQM award is testament to the hard work of our staff in particular in pushing ourselves to get better and better in the area of inclusion.

“We believe every child deserves the best education possible, no matter their start in life, and we will always work our very hardest to fulfil this vision.”

The IQM Award also came after a rigorous assessment and evaluation process.

The award provides UK schools with a nationally recognised validation of their inclusive practice and ongoing commitment to developing educational inclusion.

The IQM report spoke about the academy’s progress since joining the Outwood Family in 2016, noting it had ‘moved a long way’ and now held a ‘good reputation locally’ while maintaining that ‘the well being of staff and students is a key priority’ for the senior staff at the academy.

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