A Redcar-based secondary school is celebrating after receiving two national awards, recognising the work done by the school to support its staff and students mental health and also its work on inclusion.

̨��swag Academy Redcar, based on Kirkleatham Lane, has been awarded the Inclusion Quality Mark Award by IQM, while being awarded Silver Status by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award.

Led by Carnegie School of Education and Minds Ahead CIC, the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health Award ensures schools are using evidence-based approaches, aligned to the latest professional guidelines surrounding mental health.

The assessment report found that staff at ̨��swag Academy Redcar had worked hard over the last 12 months to build positive relationships with students and their families and to support them during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

During its assessment, the academy was found to have made mental wellbeing a high profile subject for both students and staff and work was done to ensure the support available to those at the academy was widely publicised. 

Graham Skidmore, Head of School at ̨��swag Academy Redcar, said:

“We are pleased to have been awarded Silver Status. It really is a fantastic achievement and it recognises the hard work of our students and staff in this area.

“At ̨��swag 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 wellbeing is looked after. We take pride in receiving this award and look forward to continuing to support our staff and students as best we can.”

The academy success in the IQM award 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 glowingly about the academy’s ‘rapid journey of development’ since joining the ̨��swag Family in 2017, and that student outcomes had improved. 

With a focus on the students, the report said that ‘have the potential to be truly amazing’ and that the IQM assessors found students to be ‘friendly, dynamic, confident and eager to engage in conversation.’

Graham added:

“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.”