How Perdiswell’s Mental Health Journey Flourished with EduPod

Tudor Grange Primary Academy Perdiswell is a thriving two‑form entry school with around 350 pupils and a strong culture of care.

Wellbeing has always been a priority, but when Lucy Brooks stepped into her expanded role as Assistant Principal, SENCO, Deputy Safeguarding Lead and Senior Mental Health Lead, the need for a clear, school‑wide structure became even more important.

As Lucy says, she “wears many hats”, and EduPod helped her wear them with greater ease.

“EduPod works with all the roles I hold. It saves time and helps me thrive in every part of my job.” – Lucy Brooks

A Spark That Became a Trust‑Wide Strategy

Lucy first heard about EduPod through a colleague at Tudor Grange Academy Trust. A simple conversation quickly turned into something much bigger.

“They showed us the platform, the resources, the succession planning… and we immediately wished we’d had it for our own training.” – Lucy Brooks

One SMHL had already completed their training with Innovating Minds and seen the impact of EduPod firsthand. That experience encouraged the Trust to make a strategic decision: every school, including Perdiswell, would adopt EduPod as part of a unified approach to mental health.

Even though Lucy had completed her SMHL training elsewhere, she felt something was missing:

“I had all the knowledge… but what do I do with it now?” – Lucy Brooks

EduPod became the answer, not just a resource, but a long‑term strategic partner.

From Good Practice to Whole‑School Clarity

Before EduPod, Perdiswell was doing strong work around mental health, but it lived in different places and roles. There wasn’t a shared structure across the whole school.

EduPod changed that by providing:

• A clear, unified framework for staff, pupils, parents and governors
• A whole‑school overview using tools like the Pentagon self‑assessment
• Action‑planning tools that turn big responsibilities into manageable steps
• An accreditation pathway that celebrates strengths and tracks progress

Everything Lucy had been holding across multiple roles finally had a home.

“Before EduPod, explaining our whole‑school strategy would have been really difficult. EduPod gave us the consistent structure we needed across the whole community.” – Lucy Brooks

Relationships Matter: Coaching & Genuine Partnership

For Perdiswell, EduPod is far more than a platform, it’s a relationship.

Through implementation coaching, strategic consultations, tailored guidance and onsite visits, the support has been transformational.

“What makes EduPod stand out is the people behind it… the coaching, one‑to‑ones, visits—it feels like someone is on the journey with you.” – Lucy Brooks

Celebrating Excellence: Perdiswell’s Accreditation Journey

Perdiswell now proudly holds the Excelling Accreditation—the highest level in EduPod’s whole‑school framework.

More than a badge, it has:

• Reassured parents
• Motivated staff
• Strengthened school identity
• Embedded a culture you can feel the moment you walk through the door

“Achieving the Excelling Accreditation was a whole‑school effort. It shows our long‑standing commitment to mental health and really cements it.” – Lucy Brooks

A Message from Tanya Birch

“Perdiswell is a shining example of best practice. Culture isn’t a document—it’s the feeling you get when you walk through the school and see the warmth in relationships.

Lucy has led this whole‑school approach with dedication. EduPod’s structure has supported her to navigate complexity with confidence, and it has been a privilege to bring calm, clarity and direction to such important work.

Our journey together continues, and I’m excited for what comes next.”

Final Words from Lucy Brooks

“Promoting mental health and wellbeing can feel daunting, you don’t always know if you're doing the right thing. EduPod gives you security, resources and a structure to work with. I think we all need that, don’t we?” – Lucy Brooks

If you’d like to explore how EduPod can support your school or Trust, please contact Dr Asha Patel.