Calder Primary School: Calderdale primary school wins top award for supporting pupils' health and wellbeing

Calder Primary School, part of the Calder Learning Trust, is the first school in the borough to receive the gold achievement award in the Calderdale Healthy Schools award programme.

The scheme celebrates the work that schools carry out to support children and young people’s health and wellbeing.

Examples of Calder Primary School’s impressive work include its “particular effort to know each pupil individually and make time to understand their goals and any concerns and support them accordingly”, said a Calderdale Council spokesperson.

Pupils also have regular opportunities to discuss their wellbeing and the school provides reading materials on a variety of mental health and wellbeing issues.

Staff also receive regular training to ensure they are aware of emotional issues pupils may be facing and the school hosts its own annual staff wellbeing event and regular staff support groups and workshops.

Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for Children and Young People’s Services, Councillor Adam Wilkinson, said: “I’m sure we’ll see many more schools following Calder Primary’s example and achieving Healthy Schools status or building upon their existing bronze and silver rating.”

Headteacher at Calder Primary School, Kate Lambert, said: "We were delighted to be part of the working party to develop the Calderdale Healthy Schools Award. It has given us the opportunity to celebrate all the great work we already do in our school, develop our next steps and share ideas and work with other schools.”