Gesher, the special educational school in Pinner, has been given a silver award in a national scheme to promote outstanding provision for mental health and wellbeing in schools.

The School Mental Health Award recognises Gesher’s whole-school approach to supporting positive mental health with a range of activities that include mindfulness, yoga, Lego-therapy and other therapies, celebration assemblies and family workshops.

More than 1,000 schools have so far signed up the awards scheme, which is run by the Carnegie Centre for Excellence in Mental Health in Schools – part of Leeds Beckett University – and social enterprise Minds Ahead.

Tamaryn Yartu, headteacher of Gesher  said she was “extremely proud” of the award. “At Gesher we believe that happy children learn, and that now more than ever, positive mental health and emotional wellbeing is critical to our children and young people being able to navigate the changing world.”

Steve Burton, interim 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 Gesher on this vital work and look forward to further collaboration.”

Gesher, which this term opened secondary classes alongside its primary provision, offers creative arts psychotherapy to all pupils. Its team includes a full-time arts therapist, drama therapist and an on-site educational psychologist.