A school in Wirral has achieved an Attachment and Trauma Sensitive Schools Silver Award for their commitment to embracing inclusion amongst pupils and staff.

West Kirby School and College are the first school in Wirral and one of only four in the North West to have achieved this award.

The award is only issued to educational establishments that can demonstrate that they have met rigorous quality standards and can maintain them over time.

Miss Sian Thomas, school principal, said: “I feel very proud to be leading a school where the staff are driven and dedicated towards helping young people across a range of divergent needs.

“As a school we work hard to ensure that we are equipped to enable pupils to thrive and flourish. This Silver Award clearly demonstrates the commitment of our staff towards achieving this.”

Graded ‘outstanding’ from Ofsted, West Kirby School and College is a specialist educational needs school who support primary, secondary and post 16 pupils with complex social communication difficulties, learning, sensory and emotional needs.

Dr Jennifer A Nock, Award Accreditor, said: “This is external recognition of the commitment to the steps taken at West Kirby School and College to further develop a culture of compassion and nurture.

“This plays a pivotal role in getting your pupils into a state of ‘learning readiness.”

She added: “The school evidenced a richness and depth of understanding and practice, particularly relating to sensory and emotional assessment and provision.

“Therapy is not something that the school simply provides, rather, the environment itself and the relationships therein are therapeutic.”