Nursery school in Ammanford given top award

Ammanford Nursery School have been given the stamp of approval for health and well-being.

The nursery, which accommodates 95 children between three and four years old, has been awarded the National Quality Award as part the Healthy Schools Scheme.

It is the highest award a school can obtain under the scheme and addresses the ethos, policies and practices of each school, while also focusing on what happens in the classroom and taking account of the community beyond the school.

The scheme supports schools to enable pupils and staff to take control over aspects of the school environment which influence their health in addition to formally teaching pupils about how to lead healthy lives.

The nursery school began its journey on the Healthy Schools Scheme over 10 years ago during which it has successfully achieved five phases of the scheme, implemented seven of the health topics that are attached to the scheme and conformed to the principles of the scheme.

The council’s executive board of education, Cllr Glynog Davies said: “The nursery school has worked hard to achieve this award and I’m delighted for them. They have taken every opportunity possible to educate both staff and pupils regarding health related issues. This has been done by allowing staff to attend relevant training, inviting specialist health related practitioners to visit the school, including health topics within the curriculum and implementing local and national initiatives to the very highest level. There is no other higher recognition than this under the Welsh Network of Healthy School Schemes.”

The school will be re-assessed within a two-year period to ensure that it continues to maintain its National Quality Award status.