Hinderwell's Oakridge School achieves National Nurturing Schools Award
Oakridge Community Primary School has received national recognition for its commitment to supporting pupils’ emotional wellbeing and becoming a model of high-quality nurturing practice.
The school in Hinderwell achieved the National Nurturing Schools Award, which is awarded to schools that successfully complete Nurture UK’s National Nurturing Schools Programme, an 18-month programme to develop and embed a nurturing culture.
The assessor praised Oakridge for its committed and passionate staff, the importance it places on building relationships with pupils, families and within the community, understanding and responding to children’s needs, and embedding safety, nurture and wellbeing across the school.
Headteacher Ben Russell said: “The little things staff do every day to support our children is making a real difference to their school experience.
"I am really proud of all of them for the hard work that’s gone into making Oakridge such a nurturing place.
“The ethos of our school is that we want the children to shine, and putting their wellbeing at the heart of everything we do is helping them to feel secure and grow in confidence to achieve their potential.”
Oakridge’s nurturing approach sees its children benefitting from a calm and welcoming school that includes sensory spaces, plenty of outdoor play and learning, a new therapy dog called Whisper and a curriculum that helps them build their self-esteem.
Oakridge Community Primary School is one of six schools across the Whitby area that is part of the Yorkshire Endeavour Academy Trust.