Becoming a Trauma Informed School Knowle West Nursery School have identified that positive early relational experiences are key to building children’s healthy brains. The school recognises that secure early attachments to emotionally available adults are fundamental to enable children to feel safe and secure, to promote their self-confidence, good physical health, academic achievement and to enable them to develop healthy relationships throughout their lives. The school also recognises that in order to support children’s behaviour and wellbeing, they must first acknowledge and understand their feelings, needs and experiences. They do this by building strong, authentic, trusting relationships with children and their parents and carers, enabling them to truly know their individual, personal stories. Knowle West Nursery School is committed to practices which are attachment aware, trauma informed and relationships-led. In 2020 the school began an association with Trauma Informed Schools UK (TISUK) accessing a range of training and learning opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of trauma informed practice and the approach. The school’s Senior Leadership Team all undertook aspects of the training offer and were keen to develop their expertise in this critical area of work for the school and it’s wider community. The staff team currently has three qualified Trauma Informed Practitioners working in the school; Helen Hogg, George Wilcox and Rachel Stoyell. Head Teacher Jenny McDonald, completed the Senior Leads training, and the whole staff team have accessed trauma informed training. Becoming a recognised trauma informed school involved an application to achieve the Trauma Informed Mentally Healthy School Award and in March 2024 Knowle West Nursery School was awarded this TISUK Award. The application process included an external assessment from a TISUK consultant and an in-person visit to the school. The school’s overall assessment described the following;

Knowle West Nursery School is a beacon of excellent trauma informed practice. It is a lighthouse and a beacon for its community. The work they are doing with the children and parents is transformational and they are healing intergenerational trauma.

This school is incredible, and the staff are rightly proud of their achievements and the long journey which has led them to this point. They will never rest on their laurels, and are on a quest for constant improvement. Parents, as well as their children are true partners in this work. The compassion and care the staff feel for their children, their parents and the wider community of Knowle West is infectious. They meet every criteria to be awarded Trauma Informed status, and it was a privilege and pleasure to have spent time in their company.

Knowle West Nursery School is extremely proud of this achievement particularly as they are the first early years setting and nursery school in the country to achieve this status. The award acknowledges the skills and expertise of the whole staff team and validates their commitment to this critical area of their work for the Knowle West community.