The Alder Hey Academy in partnership with Edge Hill University and Liverpool Medical Needs Education has been shortlisted in the Mental Health and Wellbeing category of the Educate North Wards awards programme, recognising innovative work to support children and young people. The project aims to strengthen how future teachers understand and respond to the mental health needs of pupils.
Alder Hey Academy which is the Trust’s dedicated education and training hub, is working closely with Edge Hill University, one of the UK’s largest providers of teacher education, to help ensure trainee teachers can recognise the early signs of poor mental health and feel confident promoting positive wellbeing in the classroom. Through the partnership, trainees gain insight into the real world challenges children face today and learn practical approaches for supporting emotional health within school environments.
Dr Katherine Birch, Director of Alder Hey Academy, said: “We are passionate about improving children and young people’s futures, so it is an honour to support early career teachers to explore children’s lives today, to better understand a range of mental health challenges, to hear directly from children about what matters most to them and to consider how best to respond.”
Dr Helen O’Keeffe, Dean of the Faculty of Education, said: “With Alder Hey and Medical Needs Education, we have co-designed and co-delivered the first PGCE Primary Education Mental Health and Wellbeing Specialist with Qualified Teacher Status course in the country, alongside a range of interdisciplinary workshops for secondary school trainees to improve educational and mental health outcomes. With this approach we aim to support our future teachers to have a significant impact on the life chances of the children and young people in our region and beyond.”
Wendy Henshaw, MNE Head of School, said: “This partnership has created the perfect opportunity for the voices of young people to be heard and shared with future teachers to equip them with the awareness and understanding required to support students in schools who are struggling with their mental health.”
The winners will be announced 7th May 2026.