AN INDEPENDENT school in East Yorkshire has become the first boarding school in the country to be awarded the Boarding School Mental Health Award.

Pocklington School met the strict criteria demanded to achieve the award, established in 2017 by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools - part of Leeds Beckett University, and social enterprise Minds Ahead.

The school provides a wide range of activities to boost the wellbeing of pupils and staff, including a wellbeing service which is available to pupils, staff and families. It offers help for both parents and pupils to ease the transition into boarding life and being away from home. Mark Ronan, the school’s headmaster, said: “We are proud and delighted to be the first UK boarding school to receive the Boarding School Mental Health Award. It is a reflection of the individual focus, together with an emphasis on pastoral care, which we prioritise in every aspect of school life.”

He added: “Working towards the award sharpened our focus and helped us reflect critically on what we do well and how we can further improve our mental health support.”