A national award recognising the positive mental health culture of your school.

An effective whole school approach to mental health supports the wellbeing of staff and students.

We know that mental ill health is often associated with low levels of engagement, poor attendance and behavioural issues.

Conversely, good levels of wellbeing are linked to better levels of attendance and progress.

For us, mental wellbeing is the non-negotiable foundation of all success – it supports good relationships, embraces diversity, supports times of transition, celebrates professional wellbeing and carves career pathways for young people.

Our Four Wing Award means that schools can gain recognition for what they're already doing well and work towards strengthening their whole school mental health culture with our support.

What's involved?

The Four Wing Award has 4 main elements, which are easily digestible and brought together during a 12-month programme to demonstrate your schools’ progress towards good mental health: 

1. The Four Wing Audit (a series of questions, completed by one member of staff with an overview, or SLT, which will generates a detailed report about the mental health culture of your school) and resulting 3-year Action Plan designed to promote long term improvement.  
2. The Action Research Project designed to help schools in building a community of research and build on effective practice. 
3. The Wellbeing Charter intended to enable all stakeholders in the school to build a vision for what leads to life-long flourishing.  
4. The Community Partner element designed to create a network of support around the school and pupil, raise the profile of mental health, challenge stigma and connect the school to the wider community, thereby supporting transition and career pathways.  

Is this a lot of work?

We know there are mental health awards out there that are not great for the mental health of the staff member(s) leading it! Our aim is to take as much of the administrative burden off your hands as possible. We do this by providing:

1. A list of 'agree in principle' community partners for you to contact to work with
2. A framework for your wellbeing charter
3. A framework and examples to help you develop your 3-year action plan
4. Online workshops to help you with interpreting the results of your audit, developing your action plan and deciding on your action research
5. A community that you can share ideas and collaborate with
6. Materials to help you launch your wellbeing charter with your community

On top of all this, we will compile all of your evidence for you into a PowerPoint presentation that you can share with staff, pupils and parents in a celebration event at the end of the award process!

What do we get out of this?

Quite simply - and most importantly - a robust mental health culture that supports the wellbeing of staff and pupils. You'll repeat the Blue Sky Audit again towards the end of the award process, so that you can see and share the tangible improvements you've made.

By engaging the wider community, you'll place your school at the heart of the community, position school as something central to pupils' lives and make connections that will support times of transition for your children and young people.

You'll also gain a national award, which is available at three levels: