St Helen’s School in Northwood has achieved the prestigious Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS), in recognition of its outstanding commitment to promoting emotional wellbeing and mental health across its entire school community.
The award reflects a sustained, whole-school approach to wellbeing, encompassing pupils, staff, and parents, and embedding emotional wellbeing and mental health at the heart of school life.
Over the past fifteen months, the school has implemented a wide-ranging programme of initiatives relating to wellbeing in response to feedback from pupils, parents and staff. These include a comprehensive programme of staff training focused on emotional wellbeing and safeguarding, equipping staff with practical strategies to support resilience and respond effectively to a range of pastoral situations.
Pupil voice has been central to the school’s approach. A team of pupil Wellbeing Ambassadors and Digital Wellbeing Ambassadors has led peer initiatives. These pupil leaders play a visible and active role in supporting their peers and shaping the school’s wellbeing culture.
The WAS Award also recognises the fact that wellbeing is thoroughly embedded within our curriculum and is seen as a collective responsibility at St Helen’s School. Weekly tutor-time sessions and ‘GROW’ coaching conversations provide space for activities such as mindfulness, gratitude, reflection and action planning, thereby helping pupils to develop lifelong skills for managing their mental health.
The school has also strengthened its partnership with parents and carers, introducing weekly wellbeing guidance in the newsletter, expanding our pastoral education events, and creating more opportunities for dialogue and feedback. This work is supported by collaborations with external organisations such as Young Carers in Schools, and informed by the latest research and best practice, for example from the Anna Freud Centre.
Clear and accessible support systems have been prioritised across the school, including more channels for pupils to share any worries or concerns, and regular opportunities for pupil feedback via school council and other forums.
Head, Mrs Bridget Ward:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive the Wellbeing Award for Schools. This recognition reflects the collective commitment of our staff, pupils and families to creating a culture in which wellbeing is not an add-on, but a fundamental part of who we are and what we do. We are particularly proud of the way our pupils have led and shaped this work.”
Achieving the Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS) reflects our ethos that a truly empowering education goes beyond academic success – it’s about nurturing confident, resilient young women who feel supported to thrive in every aspect of their lives.
The school will continue to build on this success, with our plans to further develop pupil-led initiatives, expand parent engagement, and enhance wellbeing spaces and provision across our school site in Northwood.
As a successful independent girls’ school, we are incredibly proud to be leading the way in prioritising Pastoral Care and Wellbeing.
