A Derby school is celebrating after winning a prestigious award in recognition of its work to support children affected by trauma and difficult experiences.
St Chad’s CofE Nursery and Infant School, part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust (DDAT), has been named the East Midlands Primary Winner in the ARC Alex Timpson Attachment and Trauma Awards.
The award celebrates schools and settings that help transform children’s lives by understanding how trauma and relationships affect learning.
St Chad’s was nominated by Graeme Ferguson, Headteacher of Derby’s Virtual School – part of Derby City Council – which coordinates the educational needs of children in care and those previously in care.
Graeme praised the school as “a shining example of attachment-aware and trauma-informed practice in action,” highlighting the way relationships sit at the heart of everything it does.
As the regional winner, St Chad’s has now secured a place in the national finals in November and has also been invited to become an ARC Learning Hub, supporting other schools to develop their own relational practice.
The award was presented at the Inclusion Conference at Pride Park by Graeme and Tamsin Bellaby, Partnerships Director at ARC.
Graeme said: “At St Chad’s every child is known, valued and understood as an individual, with relationships forming the foundation for all learning.
“Serving a richly diverse inner-city community, they recognise that many children face social, emotional and economic challenges. The school responds not with deficit thinking, but with compassion, high expectations and carefully structured support.
“Staff are highly attuned to children’s emotional needs, using consistent routines, relational approaches and restorative conversations to help pupils feel safe and regulated.”
Graeme added that classrooms are calm, welcoming environments where children learn that their feelings matter and that trusted adults will help them make sense of difficult experiences.
He said: “Pastoral care is proactive and woven through daily practice. Strong partnerships with families ensure that support extends beyond the classroom, building trust and shared understanding. Early identification of need, targeted interventions and a whole-school commitment to mental health mean that vulnerable pupils are not only supported, but empowered to thrive.
“St Chad’s lives out the principles of attachment and trauma-informed education with authenticity and integrity. The relationship-based behaviour policy is the best example I have seen. The impact is evident in pupils’ confidence, resilience and joy in learning.
“The school exemplifies the spirit of the Alex Timpson Attachment and Trauma Awards: transforming lives through relational practice, unwavering care and belief in every child’s potential.”
Co-headteacher Kathryn Leach said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won this award. It is wonderful recognition for our whole school community and reflects our commitment to putting relationships at the heart of everything we do.
“In recent years we’ve moved away from a traditional behaviourist approach and focused on embedding relational practice across the school. Being attachment- and trauma-informed shapes how we support our pupils every day – prioritising connection, understanding what sits behind behaviour and creating a safe, calm environment where children can thrive.
“To receive this recognition from professionals working in this field means a tremendous amount to us.”
Co-headteacher Kate Morley added: “Our work is driven not by costly programmes but by commitment – investing time in training staff in Emotion Coaching, prioritising emotional literacy and continually improving our school environment so it provides a place of safety, predictability and calm.
“This award belongs to every member of our staff, our families, governors and, most importantly, our fantastic pupils, who inspire us every day.”
DDAT Chief Executive Officer Sarah Clark said: “This is a fantastic achievement for St Chad’s and richly deserved recognition for the compassionate, child-centred culture the team has worked so hard to build.
“The school demonstrates every day that when relationships come first, children flourish. We are incredibly proud that this outstanding work has now been recognised across the East Midlands and wish the team every success in the national finals.”
The national ARC Alex Timpson Attachment and Trauma Awards will be held in Birmingham in November, where St Chad’s will represent the East Midlands as one of the country’s leading attachment-aware and trauma-informed primary schools.
