Bishop Young Academy are proud to share that they have been awarded Healthy Schools status, following an Audit that took place in December 2023. In addition, their commitment to the SEMH and PSHE needs of our students and staff have been recognised with both MindMate Friendly Status and PSHE Friendly Status.
During the audit the assessor interviewed pupils, parents, staff and senior leaders around 4 core areas: PSHE, Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and SEMH. It was noted that the “Head Teacher and Senior Leadership Team have a strong and committed belief in the health and wellbeing of the whole school community and this filters down to all members of staff. Everything that Bishop Young Academy do centres around developing the whole child with the understanding that basic needs have to be met first and foremost.”
Rachael Cole, Head of school says “We are delighted to have been awarded Healthy School Status. The award is a recognition of the hard work and effort that all members of our school community put in to ensure that our students receive the very best education that will allow them all to flourish. We are so proud of Bishop Young Academy”
The Academy was described as “calm and nurturing” with a particular emphasis placed on ensuring that the equality, diversity and inclusion polices within school are aligned with our Christian Vision to provide a safe and welcoming family, where all God’s children are valued, and all are enabled to flourish. All members of the school community who took part in the audit were able to confidently express their “knowledge of health and wellbeing and had an understanding of the commitment and care that is received from staff”.
Bishop Young Academy was commended for the profile of its PHSE activities and how they are delivered, with time designated within the curriculum, drop down periods, Bishop Character lessons and the wider curriculum. Creating a culture of healthy eating and physical activity was judged to be of vital importance, with an extensive range of activities offered within school to support students and staff alike. Our focus on sporting participation has seen much increased levels with girls and boys taking part in numerous competitions and effective signposting to opportunities outside of school. The variety of foods available in the diner is appreciated by the students, who are particularly pleased to see different food cultures represented at lunch time.
The SEMH provision “is at the top of the school’s agenda. There is a whole school approach and staff are fully committed to ensuring the very best support is available to students” with targeted support being provided by the Wellbeing Lead and close working relationships with partner organisations, including the Leeds United Foundation and the work being undertaken to improve attendance in school. The Wellbeing Team are seen as a key strength in the Academy and their work is appreciated across our school community.
