The NASS Award Winners 2022 were announced at the NASS Annual Conference dinner, held in Brighton on the evening of Thursday 6th October 2022. Innovation Broking have kindly sponsored the awards again this year. The winners were at the event and were presented with their awards on the night. Congratulations to all shortlisted schools, and the three winning schools. Thank you for taking the time to share the great work that is going on in your schools. Below you will find a little bit more detail about the winning projects under the three categories: Breaking Barriers, Innovation and Outstanding Impact.
Breaking Barriers Award Winner: Inscape House
Inscape House School is based in Cheadle, Stockport within a secure, purpose built, specialist SEND setting. Inscape House developed and implemented their Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) program in January 2022. This has reduced barriers their Autistic students face on a daily basis. AAI is a goal directed intervention program where animals help the students to promote and improve physical, social, emotional and cognitive functions. Inscape house now offers AAI to students, which maintains the growth success in their student's learning pathway and shapes their future. Parents have recorded that AAI sessions has impacted students in such a positive manner and removed the negative barriers in their children’s lives. The AAI program has also led towards opportunities to work with external stakeholders in the local community, such as schools, colleges, business and local authorities, with a range of businesses offering their students work experiences, educational learning visits and an insight to working with animals.
Inscape House School receiving their award from Jonathan Taylor, Director, Innovation Broking
Innovation Award Winner: Aurora Woodlands
Aurora Woodlands is situated in the small town of Darwen, Lancashire. Over the last year Aurora Woodlands has focused on developing its therapeutic spaces and support that is available in school. A recognition that there has been a continued delay in the support from different therapeutic services following the Covid-19 pandemic has spurred the creation of an internal support service to reduce the waiting time for their young people. Some of their young people also refuse support from specialists that they are unfamiliar with, and the Aurora Woodlands model reduces these barriers as specialists are present in school, each week and can develop relationships with individuals prior to targeted support being carried out.
Aurora Woodlands receiving their award from Jonathan Taylor, Director, Innovation Broking
Outstanding Impact Award Winner: Wargrave House School
Wargrave House School is a Non-Maintained Special School located in Newton-Le-Willows, Merseyside. Wargrave House has made Outdoor learning an integral part of their school curriculum with sessions timetabled to the prime learning time of Wednesday mornings with progressive pathways from Primary through to 6th Form. In KS1-3 they have introduced the Woodland Trust’s Green Tree Award Scheme focusing on learners’ participation in environmental projects. They have also introduced the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) Scheme since 2020, becoming a Directly Licensed Centre (DLC) in 2021-22. With the autonomy this brings it is becoming a beacon for implementation of SEND DofE programmes across the North West whilst also working with UK wide DofE to support changes that will allow a more accessible DofE programme for all.
Wargrave House School receiving their award from Jonathan Taylor, Director, Innovation Broking