More school nominations for the National Happiness Awards 2017

There are only five days left before nominations close for this year's National Happiness Awards and the submissions are still coming in from schools throughout the UK.

Presfield High School and Specialist College

Presfield High School and Specialist College, on Merseyside, have received three nominations in this year's National Happiness Awards 2017.

They are, Teacher Jenni Powell, teaching assistant Jill Westfield and school receptionist and office worker Dawn Murphy.

All the nominations were submitted by Stephen Marsh from the College.

In Jenni's nomination, it said: "Jenni joined our school as a newly qualified teacher at the start of the last academic year and her bubbly personality soon meant that everyone knew who she was!

"Keeping on top of the workload is always tough at the start of a teaching career, and Jenni has stayed up-beat throughout. Jenni’s specialism is English, and she has taken a role in leading English across the school. As a subject leader, Jenni provides excellent guidance to other staff. Her meetings are always funny – and I mean that in the nicest possible way."

Teaching Assistant, Jill Westfield's nomination said: "Jill Westfield is the kind of person that everyone would enjoy working with. In her role as Lead Teaching Assistant in our school, Jill brings a smile to all her interactions with both staff and pupils.

"All the pupils in our school have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC), and as a result of their condition, many pupils experience high anxiety levels. With her calm, sympathetic and upbeat manner Jill can reassure pupils who are feeling anxious which helps them to achieve to their full potential."

Finally, Dawn Murphy is the smiling face which greets visitors to the school. In Dawn's nomination, it says: "Throughout the day Dawn greets visitors to the school with a smile, ensures that they are signed in correctly, and carries out safeguarding checks to keep our pupils safe.

"As well as being a happy point of contact for people from outside our school, Dawn also supports pupils and staff through the course of the day. When pupils need to contact home, or need to pass information about appointments to the office, Dawn cheerily takes the information and makes sure all the details are passed on correctly."

Laurance Haines School

It's lovely when a parent nominates schools for an award; it shows the school is performing well.

In this nomination for Laurance Haines School in Watford in the Happiest School category, Denise Plociennik says: "I am a parent of the school and a staff member. I believe that our school is the happiest school because the children benefit from having excellent staff around them, who truly nurture the children. The children, in turn, learn to support each other and develop into caring, happy individuals. Our popular lunchtime board game club, for example, gives shy children the chance to meet new friends in small groups. The club has become so popular because the children who attend, feel that they belong somewhere, and they go on to teach games to other children, all while developing their conversation skills.

"Our children are learning to be great citizens, and that makes for a very happy environment."

Cedar Children's Academy

"Another nomination for the Happiest School Award is Cedar Children's Academy in Kent. They have been nominated by Headteacher Kirstie Jones, who says as part of her nomination: "Cedar Children's Academy is a great place to be. Relationships between pupils and staff and between colleagues are amazing, and the positivity is infectious!

"After a tough couple of years, people enjoy coming to work, and it's having a huge impact on outcomes.

"The staff well-being team work hard to ensure colleagues recognise positivity and cooperation in each other.

"The creation of a healthy school team this year is proof that we are committed to ensuring staff and pupils are healthy in the broadest sense of the word.

"Our SMSC team ensure that the PHSE curriculum covers aspects emotional literacy to assist our pupils in being aware of their emotional well being."

Dogsthorpe Infant School

Rebecca Waters, Headteacher of Dogsthorpe Infant School, Peterborough, has nominated her school for a Happiest School Award. Part of his nomination says:

"Dogsthorpe Infant School’s Vision and Values instantly reflect the need for good mental health, happiness, and well-being. The school is situated and centered in a multi-ethnic, culturally diverse and socially challenging area of Peterborough.

"A good percentage of our 4-7-year-olds are from single-parent families and migrant families. Indeed a few pupils have even have spent their life living in motels and hostels due to various socially challenging factors.

"We have, in addition to our many duties in education, quickly become a social oasis amidst the challenges that surround it. Many of our pupils come from a non-book culture, and some parents see ‘education’ in a less than positive way.

"This is why we work hard to build bridges in the community and make the school as bright, colourful, friendly, enjoyable and fun as we possibly can. We do this so that our infants will want to come to school regardless of life at home."

Don't forget to nominate your school for a National Happiness Award 2017.

There are categories for Happiest School, Happiest School Employee (Teacher, Head teacher, Support Staff) and Happiest Pupil.

There is over £5000 worth of prizes to be won for the winners and runners-up.

The awards receive national coverage and will help raise the profile of your school and put wellbeing and happiness at the heart of your curriculum.

Nominations close at midnight on Friday, 20th October. Winners and runners-up will receive their prizes at a happiness-studded ceremony in London on Friday, 17th November.

Make sure your school doesn't miss out - nominate today!