Validator report

24 February 2026

PRA-St. Andrews School-ME1 1SA-24/Feb/2026

Areas for further development
- To build on and sustain the parent workshop programme to maintain strong home–school partnership and shared resilience language.
- To further develop and work towards the Computing Award to strengthen digital resilience and celebrate pupil achievement.
- To sustain and embed resilience practice across changing cohorts, adapting provision in response to pupil need and ongoing evaluation.
Award term ref
Confirm the recommendation
1
Overall comments
St Andrew’s presents compelling and coherent evidence that resilience is embedded across the life of the school. Strategic curriculum design, targeted staff training and meaningful pupil voice initiatives are reinforced by measurable impact through RISE data, with clear gains in confidence, competence and connectedness. Improvements in lesson practice, participation rates and survey outcomes demonstrate sustained cultural change. Resilience is not an isolated focus but a consistent, lived experience for pupils, staff and families.
School ref
Validator benchmark comments
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Resilience is embedded across St Andrew’s through its reviewed personal development programme, Dimensions 3D PSHE and Rising Stars Character Education. Assemblies, celebration services and curriculum planning reinforce perseverance and self-belief. RISE data shows measurable impact, with key resilience indicators rising across the year, demonstrating that resilience is not an isolated initiative but a lived whole-school culture.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Targeted staff training has significantly strengthened consistent use of resilience language. Observations show references to growth mindset rising from 40% of lessons in Autumn to 88% in Summer. Pupils’ confidence scores increased from 73% to 85% in RISE surveys, evidencing that shared language around effort, mistakes and perseverance is embedded and positively influencing attitudes to learning.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Digital resilience is addressed through structured discussion, debate and pupil voice initiatives such as Votes for Schools. Pupils learn to manage differing opinions respectfully and respond thoughtfully to challenge. Survey data shows improved emotional regulation and respectful dialogue, with ratings increasing across all measures between October 2024 and July 2025, demonstrating stronger critical thinking and responsible engagement.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
The school provides explicit teaching of resilience tools through PSHE, Character Education and themed assemblies. RISE data evidence strong gains in emotional indicators, including increased confidence and connectiveness. Structured reflection, debate and creative expression enable pupils to name emotions, regulate responses and seek support appropriately, strengthening emotional literacy across year groups.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Financial resilience is developed through the personal development curriculum, linking responsibility, decision-making and real-life application. By embedding resilience themes into wider PSHE learning, pupils build understanding of choices, consequences and independence. This contributes to broader resilience outcomes evidenced in improved RISE scores and strengthened pupil confidence in applying learning to real contexts.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Residential trips, clubs and performance opportunities actively promote challenge. Attendance at residentials increased significantly, for example Year 5 rising from 77% to 91%. Competence scores improved from 71% to 80%, demonstrating that structured challenge builds belief and perseverance. Celebration boards and competitions reinforce participation and recognise achievement across the school community.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Growth mindset principles are systematically implemented through staff training, classroom practice and parental engagement. Lesson observations show a marked increase in resilience language, while RISE confidence data rose from 73% to 85%. Parent workshop evaluations averaged above 4.6/5, indicating strong home-school alignment. These actions demonstrate sustained cultural change.
Benchmarks ref
Comments on impact identified during validation
Healthy relationships are promoted through Votes for Schools, PSHE and creative arts. Pupil survey ratings increased across emotional vocabulary, respectful disagreement and expression of feelings. RISE ‘Connectedness’ scores rose from 78% to 88%, the strongest pillar, evidencing improved empathy, communication and sense of belonging. Structured dialogue and celebration of diversity strengthen inclusive relationships.
Validator recommendation
I recommend that the school is accredited for this award
Validation confirm date
24/Feb/2026
Product attribute ref
Gold