A school has won an award for the unique way it deals with conflicts between children.

Childs Hill, in Dersingham Road, Cricklewood, is one of the first organisations in the country to be handed the Restorative Justice Council’s restorative quality service mark.

For the past five years, the school has taught pupils to resolve arguments by encouraging children to speak about them.

Headteacher Dan Hawkins said the school has come “a long way”.

He said: “The children feel safe here. It’s all about wellbeing and having respect for each other, and about feeling safe in the environment.

“It’s about respecting the children as people and looking after their wellbeing. They have a voice, and this teaches them they can speak up if they have an issue.”

The school has a ‘relationships policy’, which Mr Hawkins said helps the pupils become aware of the consequences their actions can have.

The award requires organisations to show they are meeting the criteria, and the Restorative Justice Council awarded the quality mark after a rigorous assessment.

Mr Hawkins added: “It’s not just the children - staff are encouraged to take part in it too.

“The way we resolve conflict is by holding a conference with a trained teacher, who will look at what happened, how the children feel about it and what solutions could be implemented.

“We’re immensely proud of this award.”