There has been good reason to celebrate another half term at Hartshill Academy, as we have become one of only 30 schools in the country to win a Nurturing Schools Award for our ethos and approach.

Run by charity Nurture UK, the Award is something we have been working towards for some time as part of our aim to bring out ‘the best in everyone’. The recognition reflects our commitment to building a nurturing culture for pupils and staff alike and highlights the positive changes taking place across our school community.

Crucially, Hartshill Academy has set out to build a strong ethos around high expectations and success for our pupils by ensuring that we foster a nurturing environment for them. Building on the Six Key Principles of Nurture, we have created our own HART Values – Heart, Ambition, Respect and Tenacity – which are lived out in the way pupils are supported pastorally and academically.

Our commitment has become firmly embedded across the school community and continues to drive staff aspirations for each young person to do the very best that they can. We have received strong feedback from pupils, staff and parents about the positive impact this is having and how it supports great teaching and learning across the school.

As part of this feedback, one pupil said: “School is welcoming, there is always someone to talk to…the best thing about school is how teachers are there for you.”

Parents echoed this, including one who said: “My child has trusted adults he knows he can rely on.”

The Nurture UK Assessor, who reviewed many aspects of how we deliver our nurturing approach and vision, commented: “As a result of their work with Nurture UK, Hartshill Academy is becoming a place where pupils feel empowered to explore, grow and transform their futures.”

Hartshill Academy Principal, Lorraine Taylor, said of our pride in becoming one of only 30 schools in the country to hold a Nurturing Schools Award: “We are incredibly excited to receive this important recognition of the ethos we’ve worked hard over recent years to foster – one which supports pupils to thrive in their learning and feel happy and supported during their time at school.

“What is really gratifying is that pupils are starting to believe in our vision and display our values in how they show up each day. They see from staff how much we believe in them and what they can achieve, and they understand that our school community is united behind shared pride, ambition and respect.

“We see nurture as important to unlock an education with character – one that challenges pupils, gives them opportunities to try new things, encourages tenacity and resilience. We want to keep providing experiences for our young people to explore and transform the world in their own way and this Award reflects our commitment to that.”