STAFF, pupils and families are celebrating after being awarded a prestigious award making it the only beacon school in the North East for emotional wellbeing and personal development.
The Links Primary School in Eaglescliffe has been officially recognised as the only Jigsaw PSHE Beacon School in the region.
The accolade marks the culmination of years of commitment to emotional wellbeing and individual personal development and places the school on the national map for outstanding PSHE practice.
The status is granted to a small number of schools across the UK which demonstrate exemplary leadership, innovative teaching and a deeply embedded culture of social and emotional learning.
Schools must not only show excellence in their own setting, but also demonstrate a willingness to support, inspire and mentor other schools locally and nationally.
For The Links Primary School to achieve this accolade is a milestone that reflects the school’s long-standing dedication to children’s wellbeing and a belief in education that nurtures the whole child.
The award follows a thorough assessment process in which Jigsaw specialists examined lesson quality, curriculum strength, leadership vision, pupil voice, safeguarding culture and the overall climate of care across the school.
Assistant headteacher and PSHE lead Kathryn Barr expressed her immense pride in the achievement, describing it as “a moment that truly reflects who we are as a school community”.
She said: “This award is a celebration of our children, our staff, and our shared commitment to wellbeing. PSHE is not an add-on here, it is woven into the fabric of school life. Jigsaw has helped us build a nurturing, reflective culture where children feel safe, valued and empowered. We are incredibly proud to be the only Beacon School in the North East.”
The school’s PSHE provision has been praised repeatedly by external reviewers. Jigsaw’s team highlighted the school’s consistently high-quality lessons, inclusive ethos and strong pupil voice. Staff ensure PSHE is embedded throughout school life, from assemblies to break times and innovative projects to promote mindfulness, emotional literacy, diversity and community engagement.
Governors commented on the positive impact the school’s PSHE approach has had on pupils, citing increased confidence, better friendships, and greater resilience. They said the Beacon Status was “richly deserved” and reflected the school’s long-standing culture of care.
Jigsaw’s national team commended the school’s ethical leadership, inspiring classroom practice, and deeply embedded values, highlighting that pupils at the school were developing not only knowledge, but empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence.
The school plans to continue expanding its wellbeing programmes, strengthen its family engagement and share its expertise more widely across the region.
Mrs Barr said: “We are delighted, but we’re not finished. This award inspires us to keep growing, keep learning and keep putting our children’s wellbeing at the heart of everything we do.”
Head of school Carly Briston added: “I am immensely proud of all of our pupils and staff for all that they continue to achieve together. I have been informed that more than 6,500 schools use Jigsaw and that we are one of 10 schools in the world to achieve this award.”