AN EDUCATION facility in Nailsea is the first in the country to be granted a new award.

Oak Hill Pupil Referral Unit, based in Pound Lane, has been given the E-Safety Mark for its protection of students while online.

Assessors from the South West Grid for Learning visited the unit, where they met staff, governors and pupils, and confirmed it ‘provides a high level of protection for users of communication technologies’.

To apply for the accolade, schools and organisations have to reach a series of benchmark levels with evidence verified during the assessors’ visit.

Oak Hill’s head of centre Kaye Palmer-Greene said: “We provide our students with a range of opportunities, which allow them to achieve both academically and socially. By placing e-safety at the forefront of our education, students have the opportunity to become confident individuals, successful learners, and responsible citizens.”