Kirklees Together

Supporting the wellbeing of children and young people is essential to helping them thrive – it helps with development, attainment, mental health, school attendance, engagement in learning and social and emotional skills.

The event brought together a wide range of education professionals from schools and settings across the district, with the focus also being placed on the wellbeing of staff.

The sharing of knowledge, ideas and best practice will have a long-term impact on the education landscape in Kirklees.

Schools and settings promote wellbeing in many ways for children, staff, parents and the wider community. These include school councils, befriender schemes, breakfast clubs, activities to capture the voice of pupils, parent workshops, staff wellbeing days, nurture groups and nurture rooms for children with additional needs.

Cllr Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet member for Education and Communities said:

“This conference highlighted our commitment to fostering a supportive and healthy environment for our children and staff.

“ By prioritising wellbeing, we not only enhance academic outcomes for young people but take a whole-child approach to the ways they are supported.”

Cllr Viv Kendrick, Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said:

“We work closely with the Kirklees family of schools and with our wider education partners. The shared goal is for all children to be happy, healthy and able to fulfil their potential.

“A strong focus on wellbeing leads to improved performance, better social integration and increased resilience. For teaching staff, it brings higher job satisfaction, reduced turnover and better relationships.”

The conference featured two highly respected speakers in the field of wellbeing – Adrian Bethune, author and founder of ‘Teachappy’, and Andy Mellor from the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools

There were presentations and workshops to show the benefits of wellbeing practices for schools, children, parents, staff and wider communities. Costs of the event were covered by the delegates.

Our Kirklees Futures

Our Kirklees Futures defines the district-wide approach to learning all the way through to 2030. Events such as the wellbeing conference support a shared approach to pursuing excellence in education and make a real difference to the lives of children, young people and families in Kirklees.

For more information about Our Kirklees Futures, please visit https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/beta/delivering-services/kirklees-futures.aspx