NEW Milton’s Ballard School has been shortlisted for a school of the year award for student well-being at the annual independent school awards.

The event is run by the independent school magazine and is the second successive year Ballard School has been nominated, having previously been shortlisted for the co-educational school of the year accolade.

News of being nominated once more was very much welcomed by the school's headmaster Andrew McCleave, who said: “I am so proud of what we do at Ballard School.

“This welcome news has reconfirmed that sense of pride and purpose. I congratulate the whole team on their success and hope we can continue to impress in the final stages of these awards.”

Ballard’s nomination highlights the school's focus to put children at the forefront of what they do, a culture Mr. McCleave emphasised.

He added: “The fact we have been shortlisted, yet again, amongst some of the biggest and best schools in the country is testament to the commitment and excellence shown by everyone in the Ballard family.

“At Ballard, well-being is embedded within our culture.

"The Ballard family is a welcoming community where everyone is accepted; the school is a positive place to be. This familial bond, a sense of belonging and culture of acceptance, underpins everything we do.”