School Accreditation
Register
Become an accredited school
The Solihull Approach can transform school communities, enabling children to thrive and staff to excel. Our school accreditation program recognises schools that embed the approach across their work to support staff, pupils and their whole community through increased knowledge of early brain development and childhood emotional health.Â
Three levels of accreditation recognise schools’ commitment to emotional health support through their training and support to staff, continuous improvement of classroom resources, and parent engagement and support. Application and awarding, including framed certification, is free for schools.
Application for school accreditation
To achieve accreditation awards, schools must meet set standards for each level. Submissions are reviewed by the Solihull Approach, and schools will be notified of their success. They will then be awarded a printed certificate for display, as well as a digital school accreditation logo to be included in any online or digital presentations. Gold-standard accredited schools will receive a plaque and support to host a celebratory presentation event. School Accreditation reviews will take up to two weeks.
School accreditation standards
Bronze Accreditation Criteria and Implementation Plans
Bronze-accredited schools demonstrate a commitment to embedding the Solihull Approach across their whole community and within day-to-day school business. The schools are working to enhance the wellbeing of their whole school community and seek to embed the Solihull Approach as part of their mission and values to prioritise emotional health.Â
The Solihull Approach recognises bronze standard schools as those who have embraced the training and model with clear plans to embed the principles and framework across all areas of school life. Bronze schools ensure staff have access to Solihull Approach Training and, for mainstream schools, they would ensure that at least 50% of school staff (across the whole school) have participated in the core 2-Day Foundation training or have been involved in Whole School Training. For specialist schools, this may be lower as a percentage, providing evidence that the other criteria are met, given the higher staff requirements.Â
 Leadership Commitment and Framework Integration
Furthermore, the schools' leadership teams embrace the Solihull Approach framework and support the ongoing offer to train staff and use learning to shape school practice. Typically, staff will also engage in or be prepared to follow advanced training.Â
 Implementation Strategies and Educational Practices
Bronze-accredited schools are working to embed the principles of the Solihull Approach throughout the school's day-to-day engagements. They use the Solihull Approach model to shape behaviour support plans, values frameworks, or even curriculum sessions. They also commit to supporting reflective sessions throughout the year, staff coaching, and further developing a culture that champions containment and understands reciprocity. Â
 Community Engagement and Family Participation
The schools clearly embrace the Solihull Approach across their community, ensuring families are also aware of what the approach means in the school and are encouraged to engage in learning, either through school-organised sessions or signposting the online learning and resources offered on www.inourplace.co.uk.Â
Silver Accreditation Criteria and Guidelines
Silver-accredited schools demonstrate a commitment to embedding the Solihull Approach across their whole community and within day-to-day school business. The impacts are felt across the culture of the school and evident in the behaviour of pupils, staff and parents, as well as the emotional wellbeing and prospects of the children.
The Solihull Approach recognises silver standard schools as those that have embedded the principles and framework across all areas of school life developed over more than one year. Silver schools ensure staff have access to Solihull Approach Training and, for mainstream schools, they would ensure that 60% or more of the school staff (across all areas) have participated in the core 2-Day Foundation training or have been involved in Whole School Training. For specialist schools, this may be lower as a percentage, providing evidence that the other criteria are met, given the higher staff requirements.Â
 Leadership Support and Framework Integration
Furthermore, the schools' leadership teams embrace the Solihull Approach framework and support the ongoing offer to train staff and offer reflective supervision. Typically, staff will also engage in advanced training (around 20% of staff would be trained in advanced or specialist training).Â
 Implementation Strategies and Practices
Silver-accredited schools are working to embed the principles of the Solihull Approach throughout the school's day-to-day engagements. They use the Solihull Approach model to shape behaviour support plans, values frameworks, or even curriculum sessions. They also commit to supporting reflective sessions throughout the year, staff coaching, and further developing a culture that champions containment and understands reciprocity. Â
 Community Engagement and Family Participation
The schools clearly embrace the Solihull Approach across their community, ensuring families are also aware of what the approach means in the school and are encouraged to engage in school-organised sessions and the online learning and resources offered on www.inourplace.co.uk.Â
Gold Accreditation Criteria and Requirements
Gold-accredited schools celebrate embedding the Solihull Approach across its whole community and within day-to-day school business. The impacts are felt across the culture of the school and are evident in the behaviour of pupils, staff, and parents, as well as the emotional wellbeing and prospects of the children.Â
The Solihull Approach recognises gold-standard schools as those that have embedded the principles and framework across all areas of school life developed over a period of at least 3 years. Gold schools ensure staff have access to Solihull Approach Training, and, for mainstream settings, they would ensure that 80% or more of the school staff (across all areas) have participated in the core 2-Day Foundation training or have been involved in Whole School Training. For specialist schools, this may be lower as a percentage, providing evidence that the other criteria are met, given the higher staff requirements.
Leadership Commitment and Support
Furthermore, the schools' leadership teams embrace the Solihull Approach framework and support the ongoing offer to train staff and offer reflective supervision. Typically, Solihull Approach champions in the school will ensure regular reconnect sessions and CPD with staff also engaging in advanced training (around 30% of staff would be trained in advanced or specialist training). This ensures that the principles of the Solihull Approach are lived throughout the school's day-to-day engagements.
Implementation Across School Practices
Gold-accredited schools evidence the use of the Solihull Approach model embedded in their practice, which may include recognition of school values, reflective sessions throughout the year, inclusion in staff inductions, refresher offers, inclusion in pupil behaviour support plans and reflective supervision for coaching and staff development.
Community Engagement and Family Involvement
The schools clearly embrace the Solihull Approach across their whole community, ensuring families are also aware of what the approach means in the school and are encouraged to engage in school-organised sessions and the online learning and resources offered on www.inourplace.co.uk.Â
More about our school accreditation criteria
Work discussion sessions provide practitioners with a space to think about applying the Solihull Approach model in practice. They are designed to be interactive, supportive sessions of between one to two hours long and tailored to the needs of the school and staff. Â
They may focus on a case study, refreshers on the Solihull Approach model, or reflections on key areas to apply the model. Â
 Sessions can be organised and run locally or as supported by the Solihull Approach. Find out more.Â
Advanced trainings include:
• Solihull Approach Advanced SeminarsÂ
- • Understanding Brain Development Seminar or Online course
- • Understanding Attachment Seminar or Online course
- • Understanding Trauma Seminar or Online course
- • The Solihull Approach to ManagementÂ
- • Solihull Approach Reflective Supervision Â
- • Refresher DayÂ