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Welcome back from the Achieve Well Team!
We hope you've had a relaxing and enjoyable summer break and are feeling refreshed for the new academic year ahead.
As schools begin another exciting year, the Achieve Well Team is looking forward to continuing our work with you to support the health and wellbeing of children and young people across Nottingham. We have a packed programme of opportunities, resources and events planned for 2026/27, read about our plans below.
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Influencers, online personalities and digital communities are a significant part of many pupils’ lives. Join us for a practical 30-minute Lunch Bite where we will share key resources and approaches to help pupils critically evaluate online content and make informed choices
This session is part of our Achieve Well Lunch Bites Series – short focussed CPD to stary up-to-date with Health and Wellbeing approaches for schools.
In these 30-minute sessions, we provide a concise overview of a current topic and highlight resources and tools to use in school. You’ll also receive brief updates from the Achieve Well Team and hear about upcoming health and wellbeing opportunities for your school.
See the full Achieve Well Lunch Bites programme on our training page
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Don't miss your chance to join us at the 3rd Nottingham Healthy Child Conference on Thursday 26th November. This year, we're exploring the theme of Creativity and Inclusion, bringing together leading practitioners, experts and young people to share innovative ideas and practical approaches.
Highlights include sessions from:
- Gareth Cheesman on creativity in PSHE
- Mica Coleman and learners from Lilya's Lighthouse on meeting the needs of neurodivergent learners
- Ian Timbrell on creating inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ young people
- Elly Hanson on navigating the risks and opportunities of AI
You'll also have the opportunity to connect with a wide range of organisations in our marketplace, all dedicated to supporting and strengthening health and wellbeing provision in schools.
Book your place here
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The new Achieve Well Awareness Calendar 2026/27 is here, helping schools plan a year of meaningful health, wellbeing, inclusion, and community engagement activities.
Packed with national awareness campaigns, themed months, challenge events and Achieve Well opportunities, the calendar provides a simple way to embed health and wellbeing throughout the academic year. From World Mental Health Day, Children's Mental Health Week, and Stress Awareness Month to Black History Month, Pride Month, and Anti-Bullying Week, there are countless opportunities to engage pupils, staff and families in conversations that matter.
The calendar also highlights key Achieve Well initiatives throughout the year, including:
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Achieve Well Bites learning sessions
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The annual Health and Wellbeing Survey
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Nottingham Healthy Child Conference
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Achieve Well Challenge events such as Race to the Pole, Women's World Cup Challenge and Move for Good
Rather than treating awareness days as isolated events, schools are encouraged to use the calendar as a framework for creating year-round wellbeing programmes that connect with pupil voice, community priorities and school improvement goals.
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Running from 21 September 2026 to 8 July 2027, schools across Nottingham will be logging active minutes and taking part in optional mini challenges throughout the year, including Black History Month, Race for the Pole, and, the Women's World Cup.
Schools will be competing for the Annual Sheriff’s Challenge Cup and £600 worth of active playground equipment to help even more pupils get moving. Take a look at the prize here: TTS Rainbow Playground Equipment Kit
A big, good luck to all the schools taking part with a special good luck message from Nottingham Forest Women to help kick things off!
We are holding two online briefings for Challenge Leaders ahead of the Sheriff’s Challenge 2026/27:
The sessions will cover how the challenge works, key dates, logging active minutes and the resources available. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions before the challenge begins.
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The updated Nottingham City PSHE Framework is now available online. The framework has been reviewed and refreshed to align with the latest DfE RSHE guidance, including strengthened coverage of online safety, digital literacy, mental health and wellbeing, healthy relationships, safeguarding, and vaping.
The framework can be accessed here:
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Looking for a practical way to strengthen pupil voice and improve PSHE across your school? The PSHE Ambassador Programme provides a clear framework for primary, secondary, and special settings.
PSHE Ambassadors are pupil leaders who work with staff to gather feedback, support activities and help shape PSHE.
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improved engagement, confidence and participation in PSHE
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relevant and inclusive curriculum content shaped by pupil voice
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a clear structure for gathering and acting on pupil feedback
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evidence to support Ofsted evaluation and school improvement priorities
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supports compliance with statutory RSHE guidance through pupil involvement
You lead the programme within your school, choosing a PSHE Ambassador Lead to coordinate the activities. The Achieve Well Team provides the training, guidance and resources to help you set it up and run it effectively.
You will receive a full package of support to enable implementation:
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staff training to prepare a named programme lead
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a detailed guidance manual for setting up and running the programme
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ready-to-use templates for recruitment, induction and delivery
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a fully resourced training pack for pupil Ambassadors
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monitoring and evaluation tools to evidence impact
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The NSPCC's Let's Talk Service is now accepting referrals for all primary-aged children in the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire area., with referrals welcomed from all professionals and organisations working with children and families.
Let's Talk is a proactive early intervention service for children who have displayed problematic sexual behaviour (PSB). It’s a short-term intervention for children and young people and their parents or carers. Let’s Talk helps children understand healthy boundaries, emotions, and relationships in a safe and age-appropriate way.
The aim of Let’s Talk is to support children who have displayed PSB. It’s designed to enable them to go on and experience healthy and expected sexual development and expression that’s appropriate for their age, stage of development and context.
The service is now welcoming referrals for primary-aged children who have displayed PSB and would benefit from timely support.
Who can refer? Referrals are now open to all professionals and organisations working with primary-aged children , including schools, health professionals, social care services, voluntary and community organisations, and other family support agencies.
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Are you a primary school in Nottingham city and want to get pupils growing, cooking and learning more about food? Developed with local schools, universities and community gardens, our new Seed to Fork Toolkit can help you make the most of your growing spaces and build healthy eating across school life. It’s a great way assess your current provision, discover practical ideas and local support, and create a whole school action plan. Access the Seed to Fork Toolkit here.
Ready to bring your plan to life? This year’s Achieve Well Grant offers up to £10,000 to help deliver the priorities identified through the toolkit. Funding could help you improve growing spaces, give pupils more opportunities to grow, cook and taste healthy food and help you make the best use of the Seed to Fork guide. Projects should be shaped by pupils and can respond to needs highlighted in your Health and Wellbeing Survey. (The grant is also available to schools and education settings with children and young people aged 4-18 years within the current Nottingham City local authority area, application deadlines is Friday 2 October 2026)
Find out more about the grant and apply here.
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Schools are invited to a free online session on creating positive physical activity experiences for LGBTQ+ children and young people, with practical ideas to support more inclusive PE, physical activity and pastoral practice.
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Give your pupils a voice and gain the insight needed to shape support, curriculum and wellbeing provision.
Registration is now open for the Growing up in Nottingham Survey 2026, a free survey for Nottingham City schools delivered by nationally recognised provider SHEU. Participating schools receive a detailed report comparing their results with city-wide data, helping to inform PSHE, RSHE, wellbeing planning and targeted interventions.
In 2025, the survey gathered responses from 3,423 children and young people across 30 Nottingham city schools, providing valuable insight into the issues affecting local pupils.
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65% of Year 6 pupils achieved the recommended daily hour of physical activity, but participation dropped significantly in secondary school, particularly among girls.
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26% of Year 10 girls skipped breakfast before school.
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Smoking remains low, but vaping is increasingly common amongst secondary-aged pupils.
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School performance and exams were major causes of stress, particularly for girls.
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28% of secondary pupils reported feeling unsafe in their community after dark.
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Awareness of support services was low, with only 9% of Year 10 pupils knowing how to access NottAlone.
Participating schools receive:
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An individual school report
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Comparisons with Nottingham city data
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Evidence to support PSHE and RSHE planning
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Insight to inform wellbeing priorities
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Data to support school improvement and self-evaluation
The survey also supports schools in delivering relevant and responsive RSHE, informed by the real experiences and needs of pupils.
The questionnaire has been refreshed to include:
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Updated questions on vaping, alcohol, tobacco and drug access
- Revised sexual health questions (secondary)
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Improved demographic questions
The more schools that take part, the better our understanding of the health and wellbeing needs of children and young people across Nottingham.
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Change Grow Live and Thriving Nottingham are inviting local professionals to attend the Escape the Vape Open Day on Wednesday 16 September 2026.
The event will showcase the Escape the Vape Project, which supports young people aged 12 to 17 across Nottingham City with vaping prevention, education, and cessation. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet the team, explore educational resources and outreach materials, learn about support pathways for young people, and discover how schools, health services, and community organisations can get involved.
Date: Wednesday 16 September 2026
Times: 10am to 12pm or 2pm to 4pm
Venue: Change Grow Live, 4 Russell Place, Nottingham, NG1 5HJ
Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.
If you would like to attend, please complete the Escape the Vape Open Day Registration by 11 September 2026. For further information, please contact Amber.
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