Top award for Burnley primary school's project devoted to supporting vulnerable pupils

St Augustine’s RC Primary received the Inspire Award from the Lancashire Education Awards.

Run by Lancashire County Council, St Augustine’s was recognised for the long term project that began in 2016.

Since then, the school has been accredited with the bronze and silver attachment and became only the second school in England to achieve the Trauma Sensitive School Award.

The Lowerhouse Lane school is now working towards the gold award.

Lancashire County Council was impressed with both the school’s dedication to supporting more vulnerable pupils and the way staff had been trained to recognise the signs of early trauma or attachment issues over time.

Their January 2018 Ofsted, addressed to headteacher Sinead Colbeck, recognised this, stating: “You, alongside a committed staff, have created a warm and friendly school where the well-being of pupils is at the heart of everything that you do."

Mrs Colbeck said the award was another important accolade for the school recognising the work it does with vulnerable pupils.

She said: “The project means staff have become familiar with identifying behaviour which may be indicative of early trauma or attachment issues.

“The hugely positive impact of this work is a credit to the staff who have led the initiative and to the staff team as a whole, who have embraced its challenges wholeheartedly, putting a desire to meet the needs of deprived and challenging children uppermost.

“It’s a long term project which is constantly reviewed, examined and updated so we are proud this has been recognised in the Lancashire Education Awards.”