Market Field School Achieves Prestigious Gold Mental Health Award
A specialist school in Elmstead Market has received national recognition for its outstanding commitment to prioritising student and staff wellbeing. Market Field School, which educates children aged five to 16 with moderate learning difficulties, has been honoured with the Gold award by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.
Comprehensive Wellbeing Programs Lead to Upgrade
The school's award was upgraded from Silver to Gold due to its extensive range of support initiatives. These include professional counselling services, trauma-informed sessions, resilience groups, social prescription programs, drawing and talking therapy, forest school activities, allotment projects, dog therapy sessions, young carers' support, and an LGBTQ+ pride group.
Market Field School has been rated as 'excelling' across multiple key areas including leadership development, school culture enhancement, support systems for both staff and students, professional training opportunities, and collaborative work with families and external partners.
School Plans Celebration Wellbeing Funday
To commemorate this significant achievement, the school is organising a special wellbeing funday for its students. This celebration recognises the institution's comprehensive approach to mental health that permeates every aspect of school life.
Sue Webb, lead coach for the School Mental Health Award, highlighted in her assessment report: "Market Field School presents as a deeply thoughtful and caring specialist community where mental health and wellbeing are at the core of the school. Since achieving its previous award, the school has continued to build carefully on its foundations, strengthening systems, widening provision and ensuring that mental health and wellbeing remain central to how decisions are made."
Structural Commitment to Happiness and Wellbeing
The report emphasised that the school's focus on happiness and wellbeing extends beyond aspirational language to concrete implementation. This commitment is reflected in organisational structures, staffing decisions, training programs, and daily interactions throughout the school community.
Additional areas receiving specific praise included:
- 'Highly caring' support systems for teaching and administrative staff
- Integration of wellbeing considerations into performance management conversations
- Effective work of the dedicated staff wellbeing committee
- Support for flexible working arrangements where feasible
- Implementation of a menopause policy and progress toward becoming an endometriosis-friendly employer
- Embedding mental health support into daily educational practice
- 'Active and meaningful' pupil voice initiatives
- 'Open and respectful' relationships maintained with parents and guardians
Whole-School Approach Recognised
Headteacher Ruth Whitehead expressed pride in the achievement, stating: "This milestone marks our journey from Silver to Gold, reflecting the dedication and continued commitment to a whole school approach to mental health and wellbeing. Students, families, staff, governors, and leaders have all played a vital part in shaping a school where everyone feels supported to thrive."
The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools, established in 2017 through collaboration between Leeds Beckett University and social enterprise Minds Ahead, aims to strengthen mental health support throughout the UK education system. The program works to improve student outcomes and life chances by supporting positive changes at all educational levels.
National Recognition for Mental Health Commitment
Rachel C Boyle, Dean of Leeds Beckett's Carnegie School of Education, commented: "The achievement of the Mental Health award is a demonstration of the school's significant commitment to improving children's and staff's mental health and wellbeing. It is also a commitment to developing practices in school that seek to improve awareness and expertise in creating safe and secure learning environments in which all children can truly fulfil their potential. This award is one that all staff can be truly proud of."
Nationally, more than 1,400 schools across the United Kingdom have registered to participate in the mental health award program, making Market Field School's Gold achievement particularly noteworthy within this competitive field.
