Welcome to Walsall Virtual School’s BUILD Trauma & Attachment Programme, part of our wider BUILD framework – Belonging, Understanding, Inclusion, Learning and Development.

BUILD has been developed to bring together our work around trauma and attachment, nurture, relational practice, inclusion and belonging. It builds on the strong foundations established through our previous BRICS and Attachment Aware Schools work, while giving the programme a clearer and more ambitious direction for the future.

The programme supports schools across Walsall to develop trauma-informed and attachment-aware practice, strengthen nurture approaches, use relational and restorative responses and create school environments where children feel safe, understood, included and that they belong. Central to this work is the understanding that behaviour is communication and that children’s emotional wellbeing, relationships and sense of belonging can have a significant impact on their engagement, attendance and ability to learn.

Our aim is to develop and embed high-quality trauma and attachment-informed practice across Walsall schools, creating strong foundations that enable every child to belong, learn and thrive.

Schools currently progress through the programme by working towards Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum recognition, demonstrating how trauma-informed, attachment-aware and nurturing approaches are becoming increasingly embedded within whole-school practice.

As BUILD develops, we will further strengthen this offer. Our ambition is to have a trained Trauma & Attachment Champion in every Walsall school, increase the number of schools involved in the programme and provide a new Educational Psychologist-led development programme for Champions. We will also continue to expand nurture provision, increase the use of the Boxall Profile, explore trauma-informed Forest School approaches and develop practical resources that help schools embed relational and inclusive practice.

BUILD is not intended to be another short-term initiative. It is a developing Walsall approach to creating school communities where relationships, safety, nurture and belonging provide the foundations for successful learning and positive outcomes.

“Building the foundations for every child to belong, learn and thrive.”

Our BUILD Platinum Award schools 

Lane Head Nursery

Shortheath Juniors

Rosedale Infants

St John's C of E Primary 

Lower Farm Primary

Delves Infants 

Delves Juniors 

The Shepwell School

Watling Street Primary 

New Invention Infants School 

Rushall Primary School

Bloxwich Academy ( Primary) 

Barr Beacon School 

 

Our BUILD Gold Award schools 

Chuckery Primary School

Greenfield Primary 

Woodlands Academy of Learning 

Castlefort JMI

Brownhills West Primary

Walsall Academy 

Phoenix Academy

Old Church Primary 

Christ Church Primary 

Little Bloxwich Primary

Hilary Primary

King Charles Primary  

Rivers Primary Academy

 

Our BUILD Silver Award Schools 

Pool Hayes Primary 

Caldmore Primary

 

Our BUILD Bronze Award schools 

Edgar Stammers Primary 

Alumwell Infants 

Barcroft Primary 

Blue Coat Infants 

Blue Coat Juniors

Busil Jones Primary 

Jubilee Academy

New Invention Juniors

St Peters Primary

Ryders Hayes Academy 

Holy Trinity Primary

Pheasey Park Farm primary

Abbey Primary 

Goldsmith Primary 

Lindens Primary 

County Bridge Primary

Grace Academy 

 

Schools working towards our BUILD Bronze schools 

Cherry Tree School 

All Saints National Academy 

The Ladder School

Leighswood Primary 

The Matrix Trust schools 

Bentley West Primary

Lodge Farm Primary

Busil Jones Primary 

 

If you are interested in joining our BUILD Attachment Aware Schools Project please contact the virtual school at walsallvirtualschool@walsall.gov.uk