ANYONE in education will tell you that without support staff – those vital team members who underpin it – nothing would function effectively. Teachers rely on teaching assistants as their right-hand men and women and those in countless other roles, from chefs to cleaners to office workers, ensure the smooth running of our institutions. Support staff truly are their backbone, and it was with pleasure that Energy Coast UTC sponsored the award recognising them. The two finalists in the Best Support Staff category – both exemplars in the field – were Energy Coast UTC and Arthur ‘Hedley’ Smith. Taking the winner’s crown was Lesley Robertson.
Speaking after receiving her award, Lesley said: "I'm just delighted to win the award to even be nominated in the first place is an honour and to know that the senior team believe in you is great.
"But then when you get the commendations from the children and from their parents and then the rest of the staff it is just wonderful, it really does mean a lot to me."
Many of us have fond memories of primary school. Providing a first taste of education, they are vital in shaping attitudes to learning that persist into adulthood. Good primary schools focus as much on wellbeing as formal teaching, helping children to develop not just academically, but also socially and emotionally. They provide the essential foundations upon which the whole of the education system are built. Amid a crowded field, Yanwath Primary and Pennine Way Primary schools were chosen as finalists for the Best Primary School award, sponsored by Energy Coast UTC. With its holistic ethos and high academic standards, St Cuthbert’s Catholic Primary School was named as the winner.
Acting head teacher at St Cuthbert's, Lucy Bone, was 'honoured' to pick up the accolade.
She said: "I just feel really honoured and proud to be a part of team Cuthbert's it's just fantastic, just all of the commitment from our staff and our parents is great. We have also recently joined the Marta Christi trust which is really helping us and supporting us, it's just amazing I can't really describe how I feel.
"The children will be very, very happy, we had an assembly today and we were saying we are top three it's wonderful but I think deep down they really really wanted to win and now we are the best primary school in Cumbria so it's really amazing."
With the onward march of technology, education establishments are becoming ever more reliant upon it. One of the key developments of the pandemic was the move to online learning, and students became accustomed to using platforms like Microsoft Teams. Innovation is always welcome, but especially so in teaching, as today’s students will be responsible for tomorrow’s inventions.
Naturally open to new ways of thinking, they are perfectly placed to adopt novel ideas and practices. The finalists in the Innovation Award category were System People and Stephanie Butriss, who were felt to embrace both the spirit and the substance of forward thinking. It was, however, the aptly titled Hello Future Programme run by the University of Cumbria that the judges felt most excelled in this area.
The team at the programme was delighted to have been recognised for the project.
Daniel Dutton said: "We are absolutely ecstatic, we are very proud to win the award and very thankful to everyone that nominated us and who has helped us to achieve this.
"At least for the next few years we are hoping to achieve a level of sustainability with what we do on the programme."
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