TEACHERS HONOURED FOR CHANGING THE LIVES OF CHILDREN ACROSS THE COUNTRY
++ 76 Silver Award winners celebrated for outstanding commitment to education ++
++ Silver Award Winners shortlisted for “Britain’s Classroom Heroes” ++
Today [16 September] 76 inspirational teachers, teaching assistants and lecturers from across the country are being honoured as Silver Pearson National Teaching Award Winners for their commitment to ensuring the best possible education for their students.
The award winners include:
Mike Wade from Quilters School, who has won a Silver Award for The Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School. He is a creative and energetic headteacher who is passionate about championing mental health, has promoted an innovative well-being curriculum within school, led thinking about emotionally healthy schools across Essex, and who is training as a trainer in Trauma Perceptive Practice.
He also co-founded Constructionwise Minds to teach business and construction skills to 9-17 year olds across Essex and beyond, providing pathways for young people at risk of dropping out of education. Under his leadership, both Quilters Infant and Quilters Junior schools have achieved Outstanding Ofsted grades.
Andrew Hartshorn from Finham Park 2 in Coventry won a Silver Award for The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School. He was nominated by colleagues who consider him to be the best food technology teacher in the country. Not only is his classroom as close to a professional kitchen as is possible in a school, but outside of term time Andrew works for free in local restaurant kitchens to keep up to date with the latest techniques.
He has also launched ‘Grub Club’, an after school club for Pupil Premium or vulnerable students where they are taught to cook a cheap, healthy, meal. During preparation the school band play for the students, and after cooking they sit down to eat together, and even serve each other.
Rebecca Topps won a Silver Award for The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School. Rebecca is a Design and Technology teacher at St Georges Academy in Sleaford, and a role model for female students in the field of engineering, technology, motor vehicles and construction.
She has previously created the Lincolnshire Young Designer of the Year Award in partnership with Lincoln University, to allow pupils to showcase projects at the National Centre for Craft and Design. Rebecca actively identifies key skills for jobs in industry and then designs her lessons to teach those specific skills to help students go on to thrive after school.
Selected from thousands of nominations, the winners have now been shortlisted to win one of just 14 Gold Awards later in the year, in a programme which will be broadcast on the BBC. This is a great opportunity to celebrate the exceptional school staff who have worked wonders during an incredibly challenging time for educators across the country.
The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they work with. This year marks its 22nd year of celebrating, award-winning teachers, teaching assistants, headteachers and lecturers across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and former Children’s Laureate, and President of the Teaching Awards Trust, said:
“Over the past year, we have, all of us, come to appreciate and respect the value of teachers. They have so often been taken for granted. Not any more. Parents know now what it takes to teach, and teach well, and how much commitment, dedication and enthusiasm and knowledge and understanding, yes – and patience.
“Children know it too, if they didn’t before. So many missed their teachers as well as their friends. We all honour them today. Let’s now praise them, wish them well and above all, thank them.”
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said:
“Congratulations to all of our Silver Award winners for their commitment, dedication and passion for their work. Despite the incredible challenges they have faced over the past few months, school staff have risen to the occasion time and again.
“It is so important to recognise and celebrate teachers, teaching assistants and lecturers for the impact they have on our young people every year, and that is why Pearson is delighted to support these Awards.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:
“My warmest congratulations go to all this year’s silver award winners. They should be proud to receive this recognition of their commitment to the profession, and the outstanding education and guidance they provide for their students.
“Teachers and school staff up and down the country consistently go above and beyond for their students, and this is especially true over the past few months. It is down to their hard work that schools have been able to open their gates to all pupils again for the start of the new term, and I cannot say thank you enough for everything they have done.”
Full list of Pearson National Teaching Award 2020 Silver Award winners (also here):
The Award for Digital Innovator of the Year
Stefanie Campbell, South Eastern Regional College, Lisburn, Northern Ireland
Becki Lee, Hopwood Hall College, Manchester
Laura Stephens, Barton Peveril Sixth Form College, Eastleigh, Hampshire
Ben Whitaker, Burnley College Sixth Form Centre, Burnley, Lancashire
The Award for Excellence in Special Needs Education
Helen Harris, Kensington Primary School, Newham, London
Lynn Kerr, Glengormley High School, Newtownabbey, Antrim
Paul Morris, North West London Independent Special School, London
David Swanston, St. Vincent’s School for Sensory Impairment, Liverpool, Merseyside
The Award for FE Lecturer of the Year
Misk Sharif Ali, United Colleges Group, London
Phil Brooks, Dudley College of Technology, Dudley, West Midlands
Mazar Iqbal, Burnley College Sixth Form Centre, Burnley, Lancashire
The Award for FE Team of the Year
The Prince’s Trust Team, Stockton Riverside College, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside
The Senior Management Team, New College Pontefract, West Yorkshire
The Sport & Public Services Team, Stafford College, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire
The Sports Academy Team, Newham Sixth Form College, London
The Holistic Team, Victoria College, Birmingham, West Midlands
The Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School
John Bryant, Arthur Bugler Primary School, Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex
Lisa Lazell, Cardwell Primary School, Woolwich, London
Sophie McGeoch, Meadlands Primary School, Richmond, Surrey
Bavaani Nanthabalan, Netley Primary School & Centre for Autism, London
Raminder Singh Vig, Khalsa Primary School, Slough, Berkshire
Michael Wade, Quilters Junior School, Billericay, Essex
The Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School
Simon Gilbert-Barnham, Ormiston Venture Academy, Gorleston, Norfolk
Matt Gauthier, Samuel Ryder Academy, St Albans, Hertfordshire
Cherry Tingle, Energy Coast UTC, Workington, Cumbria
Rob Williams, Malton School, Malton, North Yorkshire
The Award for Impact through Partnership
The City of Norwich School – an Ormiston Academy, Norwich, Norfolk
The Outwood Grange Academies Trust, Wakefield, West Yorkshire
The CORE Education Trust – Echo Eternal Project, Birmingham, West Midlands
The Derby Teaching Schools Alliance, Derby, Derbyshire
St. Vincent’s School for Sensory Impairment, Liverpool, Merseyside
The Boleyn Trust, London
The Award for Lifetime Achievement, Supported by the Department of Education
Tony Bennett, Balcarras School, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
David Horn, Beckfoot Trust, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Dr Paul Phillips CBE, Weston College, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset
Dr Andrew Szydlo, Highgate School, Highgate, London
Catherine Taylor, Aspire Federation, Wigan, Greater Manchester
The Award for Making a Difference – Primary School of the Year, Supported by Future First
Delamere School, Flixton, Manchester
Diamond Wood Community Academy, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Kensington Primary School, Newham, London
Whitefield Primary School, Liverpool, Merseyside
The Award for Making a Difference – Secondary School of the Year, Supported by Future First
Ark John Keats Academy, Enfield, London
Energy Coast UTC, Workington, Cumbria
Hazelwood Integrated College, Belfast, Antrim
St. Cecilia’s College, Derry, Northern Ireland
Villiers High School, Ealing, Middlesex
The Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year, Supported by the Department of Education
Kirsty Gaythwaite, Goodwin Academy, Deal, Kent
Adam Higgins, The Royal Liberty School, Romford, Essex
Oliver McIntyre, Hillcrest Shifnal School, Shifnal, Shropshire
Ashleigh Sinclair, Northern Counties School, Newcastle, Tyne And Wear
Kate Woodward, Lyndhurst Primary and Nursery School, Oldham, Greater Manchester
The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School, supported by Randstad
Shamshad Azad, Horton Park Primary School, Bradford, West Yorkshire
Alex Bramley, Spire Junior School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire
Melissa Bryan, Margaretting C of E Primary School, Ingatestone, Essex
Sakara Vitellaro, Khalsa Primary School, Slough, Berkshire
Joshua Freeland, New City Primary School, London
Robert Harrison, Perryfields Primary Pupil Referral Unit, Worcester, Worcestershire
Sarah Kennedy, Brington C of E Primary School, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
Rebecca Price, Diamond Wood Community Academy, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
Beth Raggett, St Hilda’s C of E Primary School, Trafford, Lancashire
Peter Simons, Thornhill Junior and Infant School, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
David Stirzaker, Stawley Primary School, Wellington, Somerset
The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School
Jacqueline Bream, Huntington School, York, North Yorkshire
Richard Harris, Raynes Park High School, Merton, London
Andrew Hartshorn, Finham Park 2, Coventry, West Midlands
Sammy Kempner, The Totteridge Academy, London
Nicola Ponsonby, Challney High School for Girls, Luton, Bedfordshire
Kirsty Ralston, The Royal Liberty School, Romford, Essex
Deb Simmons, Winterbourne Academy, Bristol, South Gloucestershire
Rebecca Topps, St Georges Academy, Sleaford, Lincolnshire
Katie Warmer, Q3 Academy Tipton, West Midlands
Kerryann Wilson, Energy Coast UTC, Workington, Cumbria
The Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year
Michelle Bland, Ingoldsby Academy, Grantham, Lincolnshire
Lucy Brotherhood, Charnwood College, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Maria Gallagher, Ashmount School, Loughborough, Leicestershire
Rebecca Skinner, Sarah Bonnell School, London
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Pearson National Teaching Awards are open to every school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The awards were established by Lord Puttnam CBE in 1998 and are managed by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity. The vision of the charity is to recognise and celebrate excellence in education. It does this through its public-facing ‘Thank A Teacher’ campaign, and through the Pearson National Teaching Awards www.teachingawards.com.
Pearson are the world’s learning company with more than 24,000 employees operating in 70 countries. We combine world-class educational content and assessment, powered by services and technology, to enable more effective teaching and personalized learning at scale. We believe that wherever learning flourishes so do people.
Michael Morpurgo is one of Britain’s best-loved writers for children. With a writing career that spans four decades, he has written over 100 books, selling more than 5 million copies in the UK and over 35 million worldwide. A former Children’s Laureate, Michael has won countless prizes, including the Smarties prize, the Blue Peter Book Award and the Whitbread Award, and was awarded an OBE for Services to Literature. Michael was also awarded an MBE in 1999, along with his wife Clare, in recognition of their work in founding Farms For City Children, a charity that has enabled 100,000 children to visit the charity’s three farms over the last 40 years.
The 2020 Pearson National Teaching Award Categories are:
The Award for Excellence in Special Needs Education The Award for FE Lecturer of the Year
The Award for FE Team of the Year The Award for Headteacher of the Year in a Primary School
The Award for Headteacher of the Year in a
Secondary School The Award for Digital Innovator of the Year
The Award for Making a Difference – Secondary School of the Year, supported by Future First
The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School
The Award for Making a Difference – Primary School of the Year, supported by Future First The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School, supported by Randstad
The Award for Lifetime Achievement supported
by DfE The Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year
The Award for Outstanding New Teacher of
the Year supported by DfE The Award for Impact through Partnership
