Ty Gwyn Education Centre in Aberdare has been shortlisted in the TES Schools Awards 2021, which recognises the most outstanding individuals and institutions within the UK’s education sector.
All at Ty Gwyn Education Centre are delighted at being recognised in the well-being and mental health award category, one of only two schools in Wales to be shortlisted in this category.
Ty Gwyn Education Centre, managed by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, is a trauma-informed Pupil Referral Unit which provides small class, bespoke and specialist support to secondary aged learners who cannot attend mainstream school.
The TES School Awards 2021 take place live and virtually online on Friday, June 25.
Councillor Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services, said: “I am delighted that Ty Gwyn Education Centre has been shortlisted at the TES Schools Awards 2021. It is testament to all the hard work, dedication and support provided by all staff.
“It has been a very difficult year for us all, and none more so than for those working within the education sector and for all of our learners.
“All of our schools have wonderful mechanisms in place to ensure the care, health and well-being of all staff and learners and it is pleasing to see this being recognised on a national platform.”
Victoria Cox-Wall, Head at Ty Gwyn Education Centre, said: “This is a great achievement for Ty Gwyn on its improvement journey and a reflection of the support and investment across the Local Authority and Consortium.
“Our therapeutic team, led by two assistant Educational Psychologists, have worked both with groups and individual learners on their relationship skills, their self-esteem and ability to regulate their emotions to access learning and pro-social experiences using traditional talking therapies and creative indoor and outdoor sessions, including building an ant farm.
“The mental health of our learners has been impacted by the restrictions of the global pandemic, and this has been our priority to address both those attending and those at home with school based sessions, online meetings and sending out personal letters.
“We have also used our school website to set up an ‘I Wish My Teacher Knew’ section so that learners who have not been in school can ask for help or support at any time.
“I am delighted to say that the first-hand experience, the views of our staff and learners, and data collected during the school year, show that this approach is working across the Pupil Referral Unit, securing sustainable improvements and significantly impacting the life chances of our learners.”
TES Editor Jon Severs, said: “It is more important this year than ever before to celebrate the fantastic work schools do, because in the past 12 months they have gone above and beyond to ensure pupils were able to be educated and be kept safe in extraordinary circumstances.
“We were inundated with entries that demonstrated just how hard the pandemic made the work of schools, and just how amazing the response from staff has been.
“We are looking forward to showcasing, as we do every year, just how vital our education professionals are to every facet of this country.”
For a full list of all those shortlisted at the TES Schools Awards 2021 visit www.tesawards.co.uk
Posted on 08/06/2021