Alcester Academy win TES award for maths
Comedian Dara Ó Briain presents the award to Alcester Academy teachers Craig Groom, Melanie Muldowney, Christian Seager, Karen Evason, Ian Hollis, and Kayleigh Elliott with headteacher Paul Hyde.
The maths teachers at Alcester Academy have won Maths Team of the Year in the Times Education Supplement (TES) Schools Awards.
The team — Chris Seager, Mel Muldowney, Kayleigh Elliot, Ian Hollis, Craig Groom and Karen Evason — have transformed maths within the school and thoroughly deserve the recognition, according to headteacher, Paul Hyde.
He told the Herald: “We could not be more thrilled to have had our achievements recognised at such a prestigious event.
“We’re the only secondary school in Warwickshire to be shortlisted for the awards, which we’re so proud of.”
Mr Hyde said that Chris Seager and Mel Muldowney were recruited in September 2014.
He added: “They have gelled the team and lifted the performance of the maths team from around the national average to well above.
“I can assure you, there are not many maths teams who achieve an 88 per cent pass rate outside of the grammar school system.”
James Yarrington, who also teaches at Alcester Academy, was shortlisted for the Arts Teacher of the Year.
Mr Hyde said: “James Yarrington did not win, but we are amazingly proud of his performance, being shortlisted in the top eight of all nominations.
“He’s worked at the academy for 18 years and has always performed well above the national average. Recently, the AQA moderator described our GCSE Art work as being of A-Level standard.”
The winners were revealed at an awards ceremony and dinner in the Grosvenor House Hotel, in Park Lane, London, on Friday evening, 24th June.
Published: By the Stratford Herald, 9 July 2016 at http://www.stratford-herald.com/55306-good-teaching-equals-success.html
We would also like to give a special mention to Shrubland Street Primary School who made the shortlist in three of the categories in this year's TES awards including Primary School of the year. Well done to all of the staff and pupils at the school.
A full list of the winners is available at: http://www.tesawards.co.uk/tessa2016/awardswinners/winners. You can also sign up to receive updates and details of how to apply for the 2017 awards by following the above link.
The Bilton Infant School has won the Anti-Bullying Quality Mark Award bronze award
RESPONSIBLE young pupils at Bilton Infant School have banded together to take a bold stand against bullying and create a ‘happier school’.
The school has won the Anti-Bullying Quality Mark Award bronze award, the only school in Warwickshire to do so, thanks to the hard work of staff, parents and governors – but most of all, pupils.
Even the school’s youngest children, from the age of four, were working hard to counter bullying in their classrooms and joining teachers to make sure the school was a safe environment for everyone.
The school children made sure their classmates were involved in games in the playground and worked with fellow pupils to solve any disputes.
Headteacher Sharon Harris said it was the school’s youngest pupils who led the campaign against bullying – creating their own position, “playground pals”, to be the first responders to troubled youngsters.
She told the Observer: “From the playgrounds to the classrooms, it really was the pupils who kick-started our work against bullying.
“As well as making sure everyone felt included and happy at the school, the pupils created their own steering group, working with our teachers and governors to turn it into a group effort against bullying.
“They didn’t even know there was an award waiting for them at the end of the year – they did this because they wanted a happier school and to make sure everyone felt they had a voice.”
The pupils were also taking a stand against cyber-bullying, welcoming Rugby FM’s Jason Moss to the school to help create their own ‘e-safety rap’. Together with the DJ the children wrote and recorded the song before performing it themselves.
Mrs Harris added: “We are incredibly proud of all the pupils for their hard work and really emphasising our school values. We are looking forward to working towards the next stage of the award over the next two years.”
An assessor of the award who visited the school said: “We have not encountered Key Stage 1 children take on this degree of responsibility before.
“We hope that the award recognizes their efforts and inspires them to continue to develop anti-bullying and achieve the ABQM-UK Silver award.”
Published: 8.54am, 4 August 2016 at http://rugbyobserver.co.uk/news/primary-school-pupils-rugby-take-lead-anti-bully-campaign/
Quality Mark awarded to Rugby Infant School
A quality mark has been awarded to Bilton Infant School in Rugby for recognition of its impressive commitment to Values-based Education.
Values-based Education is an initiative which underpins the life and work of the school. It is a concept based on extensive research, which demonstrates the positive effects on pupils. When educators model and teach about universal, positive human values, it has an impact on pupils, both socially and academically.
The purpose of adopting VbE is to inspire young people to adopt positive values in their lives so that they can be the best people that they can be. The schools involved encourage their pupils to actively demonstrate the values in their daily lives, thereby helping to create a sustainable world. The quality mark is awarded following an independent audit to assess the school’s practice of VbE.
Headteacher Sharon Harris says “We are all very proud knowing that Bilton Infant School has been recognised as a school which is passionate about VbE.” The report states that the school “embraces every aspect … which is a testament to the hard work and commitment of all stakeholders.”
The report goes on to recognise the effect that VbE has had on Bilton. “This is a fantastic school where children’s self-esteem, social and emotional development is seen as a priority and is developed within a fun, well taught framework. Bilton Infant School is a wonderful environment with happy children and staff. The children express themselves confidently and their behaviour reflects the school’s values.”
Park Lane Primary School and Nursery and Race Leys Junior School in Warwickshire have also received the VbE Quality Mark. The headteachers of all three schools would be happy to talk to anyone interested in finding out more. Further information is also available on the VbE website.