Left to right, Sarah Pryce, Senior Educational Psychologist, Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, Emma Wright Jones, Deputy Headteacher at Loxdale Primary School, Alex Hanley, Pastoral Manager at Loxdale Primary School, Lisa Preston, Deputy Director Social Care, Sarah Blower, Headteacher at Christ Church Infant and Junior School, Lauren McDonald, SEND Coordinator at St Michael’s C of E Primary School, Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, Louise Sharrod – Principal Public Health Specialist, and Emma Thornberry, Principal Educational Psychologist, celebrate the success of 7 schools which have successfully achieved the ATTUNE Award
Seven Wolverhampton schools have been recognised for their commitment to promoting emotional health and wellbeing, receiving a prestigious ATTUNE award at a special event last week.
The event, held at Fordhouses Cricket Club, marked a significant milestone in Wolverhampton’s journey to embed emotional wellbeing and trauma-informed practice at the heart of education through the Wolverhampton ATTUNE Project — a two-year City of Wolverhampton Council-led programme that supports schools in embedding sustainable, trauma-informed practices.
Schools progress through Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels, each recognising deeper integration of the ATTUNE principles – to be attachment-aware and trauma-informed, to build trust and understanding individual needs, to use nurturing and consistent approaches, and to ensure emotional wellbeing is a whole-school priority.
The seven schools – Loxdale Primary, Broadmeadow Special School, Khalsa Academy, St Peter’s Collegiate Academy, St Michael’s C of E Primary, Christ Church Infant and Junior School, and Low Hill Nursery – were part of the original trauma-informed pilot and have now successfully achieved an ATTUNE award.
Their efforts have led to meaningful changes in school culture, teaching practices, and student support systems, and each school was invited to receive their award and share stories of transformation, from improved student engagement to stronger staff-pupil relationships.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “We came together to recognise and celebrate the incredible efforts of several local schools in achieving the ATTUNE Charter. These schools have shown what it truly means to be attachment-aware, trauma-informed, and nurturing in their approach to education.”
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, added: “This has been a wonderful opportunity to hear first-hand about the positive changes these schools have made. I would encourage schools who are not already part of ATTUNE but would like to be, to register their interest for the next programme beginning in spring 2026.”