Oaktree Nursery and Primary School in Park South has become the first school in Swindon to be awarded the prestigious HOPE Award.
The accolade, which recognises schools that actively support and educate pupils about healthy relationships, was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Sarah Troughton, Patron of Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service (SDASS).
The HOPE Award is part of the wider HOPE Programme, run by SDASS, designed to help schools foster environments that promote healthy relationships, support families, and work towards preventing future cases of domestic abuse. By taking part in this initiative, Oaktree has provided its pupils with age-appropriate lessons on respect and equality, delivered staff training on recognising abuse, and opened the doors to ongoing support via dedicated domestic abuse workers who hold regular drop-in sessions for local families.
The Year 6 pupils who participated in the programme, Ziad and Amaka, reflected on the lessons they learned from SDASS School Support Workers, Heidi and Cassie. “They taught us how to treat and respect people equally. After this valuable lesson, we drew pictures of our families and made posters that Cassie laminated for us. We especially enjoyed learning about each other and saying what we loved about ourselves and didn’t like,” they said.
Deputy Headteacher Kate Howard expressed pride in the school’s achievement: “We are incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved through the HOPE Programme. Being kind is one of our core values at Oaktree, and these lessons taught our pupils how to be good friends and to think of others. It’s just as important for us that our students learn how to be good people, as it is for them to succeed in maths and English.”
The HOPE Award is available to both primary and secondary schools in Swindon. Emma Maclennan, Children and Young People Manager at SDASS, emphasised the significance of the initiative: “Education plays a crucial role in ensuring the next generation can live free from domestic abuse. We are grateful to Oaktree for embracing the HOPE Programme with such enthusiasm, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with them.”
The school’s involvement in the programme has not only increased awareness of domestic abuse among staff but has also created a safe space for the entire school community. Through this achievement, Oaktree has set a strong example for other schools to follow in promoting the safety and wellbeing of their pupils.
For more information on the HOPE Programme, contact Emma Maclennan at emaclennan@swindonwomensaid.org.
If you or someone you know is in need of advice on domestic abuse, the 24/7 confidential helpline is available at 01793 610610.
