Skip to content ↓
Ely College

Ely College

Ely College awarded pioneering mental health recognition

Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form has achieved the School Mental Health Award which is delivered by the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools. Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form were awarded a Gold standard for its outstanding mental health and wellbeing provision.

This award, compiled and submitted by Assistant Principal Mrs Rachael Mustill and Designated Safeguarding Lead Mrs Lynn Riches, recognises the many steps that Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form has taken over the past five years since joining the Cambridge and Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT).  Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form reached the highest grade of “Excelling” for all 8 elements of the award which includes, Support for staff, Support for students, Working with external providers and Leadership and strategy. 

Principal Simon Warburton said, “I am thrilled that the Carnegie team for Mental Health has reviewed our actions and commitment to supporting wellbeing and mental health and rated it as reaching their gold standard.  We still have much more to learn and more to do to support our college community and we will do all we can to support other schools and organisations with their mental health awareness”.

The award was 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 Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools aims to strengthen pupils’ mental health by supporting schools to make a positive change at all levels of the UK's education system, improving students’ outcomes and life chances.

Professor Damien Page, Dean of Leeds Beckett’s Carnegie School of Education, said: “Achieving this award is not just recognition of a whole-school approach to mental health, it’s a recognition of the school’s commitment to improving the life chances of children and engaging with the wider community including staff and parents/carers.

“We’re truly proud to have worked with Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form in this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”

Nationally, more than 1000 schools have signed up to take part in the mental health award.

Dean Johnstone, founder and CEO of Minds Ahead said: “This award shines a light on the excellent work schools are doing to promote mental health for their community of children and adults.

“It is thrilling and humbling to learn about Ely College and Bishop Laney Sixth Form and the many other schools engaged in the quality award process. I’d like to offer my congratulations on this deserved recognition.”