Tanglin Trust School awarded the ‘Wellbeing Award for Schools’

Tanglin Trust School is delighted to have been awarded the ‘Wellbeing Award for Schools’ (WAS) in recognition of our commitment to the wellbeing of our students and staff, and for our provision of opportunities to engage with parents. 

At Tanglin, we take pride in our holistic approach to education. We often talk about learners who are ready for whatever the next stage of life’s journey has in store for them; equipped with both the knowledge and the skills not only to survive, but to thrive.

In October 2017, as part of our work towards this vision, Tanglin committed to the WAS, a framework developed by the National Children’s Bureau in the UK. A ‘WAS Change Team’ with representatives from across the school was formed to look at all aspects of wellbeing at Tanglin, with the overall aim of developing a school culture where the whole community is engaged in promoting and protecting wellbeing.

Following a stakeholder survey, our specific aims included being clearer on what we mean by ‘wellbeing’, making the school a safe place in which to talk about our own wellbeing, and feeling equipped with a range of strategies to effectively support others’ wellbeing (adults and young people). Our WAS objectives sat under the following areas: commitment and vision, culture, staff and continuous professional development (CPD), responding, and community and partners.

After a year, in November 2018 we were delighted to be awarded the WAS – with a glowing report.

It is wonderful to have achieved this recognition for our commitment to the wellbeing of our students and staff, and for our provision of opportunities to engage with parents, for example through the growing ParentWise programme.*

The verifier met several students from the Junior and Senior Schools and was very impressed with their confidence in talking about how they look after their own mental and physical health, a key objective of our Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) and Lifeskills programmes. As the report said: “The PSHCE and Lifeskills curriculum have been developed to support the vision of the school where wellbeing is the foundation upon which academic achievement is built.”

Other key strengths identified by the review include:

• Tanglin is an educational establishment where the wellbeing of the staff, students and parents is paramount. Because of this, the whole school community feels highly valued. 

• Tanglin is a very welcoming, nurturing and happy school with staff who are motivated, highly professional and want the very best for the students in their care. 

• Effective professional development relating to wellbeing and supporting mental health has ensured the staff have the skills to help students when the need arises. 

• Communication is a real strength and parents are well informed about all aspects of school developments. 

• The students are very proud of their school and all have aspirations. 

• There is evidence of a broad, balanced and enriched curriculum. Consequently, all pupils can experience success in a range of subjects which support the development of confident and motivated learners.

John Ridley, Director of Learning said: “The Wellbeing Award for Schools framework has been a very useful tool for Tanglin. This report is a wonderful testament to the hard work of many different individuals and teams across the school who have contributed to improving our community’s awareness of and ability to tackle wellbeing issues.” Craig Considine, CEO added: “Wellbeing remains very high on our agenda and there is more work to do, but it is wonderful to have this validation of our efforts so far.”

*Tanglin’s ParentWise programme was established to enable our community to connect with the school and provide a toolkit for parent and helpers to gain knowledge, increase confidence and seek assurance. During the last year, Tanglin hosted more than 60 ParentWise events, consisting of courses, information sessions and workshops covering four main themes: Educational and Curriculum Support, Parent and Student Wellbeing, Hot Button Topics and Inspirational 
Speakers.