Winner - All Round Excellence in Health and Wellbeing

Winner - Health and Wellbeing Champion for All Round Excellence

We are thrilled to announce that Canford has been chosen as the winner in the 2023 HIEDA awards for the high quality of its pastoral programmes.

Part of the Boarding Schools Association, HIEDA (Health In Education Association) champions excellence in health and wellbeing education in schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.  In its annual awards it recognises educational institutions who are stand out in this field.

Head of Wellbeing Melissa Clinton has spearheaded a dynamic health and wellbeing programme throughout the school and an innovative approach to delivering excellence in health education and care given to every individual pupil. Our wellbeing initiatives support all year groups, to empower our pupils to learn how to manage their mental, physical and emotional health in their present and futures lives.

Among the recent initiatives are a Sleep Education Programme, a unique programme covering core areas such as Why sleep matters, Science of sleep, Why sleep issues occur and Practical strategies and ways to improve sleep.  It is delivered via Houses through a Designated Sleep Champion member of staff who leads the roll out, promote the benefits of good sleep to pupils in house and encourages conversation around sleep issues.

Canford is the first school to implement a new programme for Pelvic Floor Education, which has been developed by Brunel University, London, aimed at empowering young females to manage their bodies and help prevent future health problems. We were delighted to host a team of Women’s Health specialists from Spain, Ireland and London to talk to pupils about this important issue last year.

Through an internal and external wellbeing audit, it was clear that there were demonstrable benefits of implementing a peer support system in schools. It helped pupils to have shared identity, increased self-confidence, develop enhanced communication skills, social resilience and as a result improved mental health and wellbeing.  The Peer Mentor Programme has been running for a number of years.  At the start of every academic year, a group of Sixth Formers receive training by This is Me https://www.this-is-me.uk/ in listening skills, empathy and trust, plus safeguarding training on when to escalate a problem.

The Canford Sport and Physical Wellbeing programme offers something for every pupil with the aim of all staying active through fitness of some kind each week. The school champions the benefits of this which extend beyond physical fitness to a positive mental attitude to other aspects of a pupil's school life.

Find out more at https://www.canford.com/living/wellbeing