Teachers rewarded in first Hampshire Education Awards

The first Hampshire Education Awards held in Winchester's Great Hall saw more than 60 teachers, support staff and governors from across the county nominated for one of the ten awards.

From a "passionate and dedicated governor" to a support staff who improve vulnerable children's chances the accolades were a bid to recognise the hard work of education professionals across Hampshire.

The awards and their recipients were:

• Improving Life Chances Award: Karen Lewis and Emma Sacre from The Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

• Teaching Support Award: Sue Ingram from The Hamble School, Hamble

• Wider Support Contribution Awards: Chris Carr from Kings Worthy Primary School, Winchester and Lisa Noice from the Crofton Cluster of Schools, Fareham

• Education and Leadership Award: Teresa Westcott-Hayes, The Hamble School, Hamble

• Community Impact Award: Community Team, Park Community School, Havant

• Flying Colours Award: David Tully, Crestwood Community School, Eastleigh

• Teaching and Learning Award: Nicola Harling, Ashley Junior School, New Forest

• Outstanding Contribution to Education Award: Emma Colebourn, The Henry Beaufort School, Winchester

• Governance Award: Brian Larbey, Chair of Governors, Bordon Infant School

Additionally, an award for Education and Inclusion was awarded posthumously to the family of Helen Lloyd, who was formerly the Inclusion Manager at The Henry Cort Community School.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Improving Life Chances Award

This award is for member of school staff, whether teacher or support staff, making a significant difference to disadvantaged or vulnerable children.

Awarded to: Karen Lewis and Emma Sacre, The Henry Beaufort School

Karen and Emma have been nominated for their unending support to disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. They have both been noted for their ability to connect with young people and for the significant support they give whether individually or within groups that they run.

Emma and Karen work with over 200 disadvantaged and vulnerable students. They run groups for young carers and have also established a bereavement group and an LGBT support group at the school. They look at every child individually and many examples of lives that have been changed could be given, including a former Year 9 student who was disengaged with school but was helped to stay in school and has now been offered a place at Cambridge.

Pupils describe the Optimal Learning Centre run by Emma and Karen as being “like home”. They talk of the help they receive “when you don’t believe in yourself” or the desire to be in the centre when you are struggling because “it’s just the best place.” Dr Emily David of the NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service says that the provision they offer should be a shining example to other schools.

Teaching Support Award

The award is aimed at classroom based support staff who have had a significant impact on pupils through the support they provide.

Awarded to: Sue Ingram, The Hamble School

Sue has been nominated for her consistent dedication to improving students' chances of success. Sue works with a range of students who have individual barriers to their learning, and develops trusting relationships which enable each student to reach their potential.

Sue has changed vulnerable children’s lives beyond their academic grades. She gives them the belief that they can achieve. If there is ever a stray pupil in the Maths Department you can guarantee they are looking for Sue and that she will give them the time and support they need to get them back to where they need to be. Sue fights for the students that have no one else to fight for them.

She provides a constant in their lives and is a “game changer” for children who even some of the best teachers in the Maths Department at Hamble struggle to reach. Her interventions repeatedly achieve outcomes way above those expected and often lead to children who were previously on track to fail going on to achieve a good GCSE in maths which ultimately improves their life chances. She is the embodiment of a team player.

She is a key member of the school community and the matriarch of the maths family, constantly checking in to support others and remembering the everyday things that others might miss, like birthdays.

Wider Support Contribution Award

The award is aimed at those undertaking support roles outside of that provided in the classroom, with a particular focus on their impact on individual pupils or groups within the school community. For this category, given the wide range of different support staff contributions, judges determined to give the award to two of the nominees.

Awarded to (1): Lisa Noice, Crofton Cluster of Schools

Lisa works across a cluster of schools to meet the needs of families in the local area. Working on behaviours, emotions and both child and parental mental health, Lisa has established a level of trust that enables her to be immensely effective.

Lisa supports families and pupils of secondary and primary age. The level of trust in her as a Family Liaison Officer is such that many of her referrals now come through word of mouth from other parents. Lisa not only brings her wisdom to the role but has a unique way of putting people at their ease and can be seen supporting parents in anything from sleeping disorders to court appearances. And it’s not just parents: Lisa has also set up a group for grandparents who are carers for school-aged children and also a specialist dads’ only group.

Lisa is a dynamo, writing and running courses that deal with a full range of issues from dealing with anxiety to transition support for parents. Her work has had an incredibly positive impact on whole families. Lisa never turns away a parent in need and often works evenings to ensure she can involve fathers and working families in her support. She regularly meets with school staff across the cluster to ensure the best for all families in the area.

Awarded to (2): Chris Carr, Kings Worthy Primary School

Chris has been nominated for his dedication to completely transforming the outside areas of Kings Worthy Primary School. Whether visiting the Celtic Roundhouse, the Roman Garden or any other features installed by Chris, learning opportunities have been enhanced for all pupils.

The school has over four acres of grounds and when Chris took on the role over 10 years ago, the grounds were virtually scrubland. Today there is a bluebell trail, an orchard, wild flower meadow, hazel tunnel, three ponds and a Roman Garden. Added to this is a Celtic Roundhouse and an Anderson Shelter – all helping to bring the study of aspects of the curriculum, whether World War II, Celts or Romans to life.

Every aspect of the restoration has been with the full approval of conservationists and horticultural experts. Chris has marshalled support from staff and students at Sparsholt College as well as enlisting the support of the probation service to provide a team of former offenders. His work has received recognition from the Royal Horticultural Society and the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England, but he is equally adept at turning his hand to building sets for a production of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ and for the Rock Challenge.

Education Leadership Award

The award is aimed at leaders of any level within a school and is awarded in recognition of the impact of their leadership on improving or sustaining the effectiveness of a team or an educational institution.

Awarded to: Teresa Westcott-Hayes, The Hamble School

Teresa was the Deputy Headteacher of The Hamble School. Teresa line managed all core departments. She is described by her staff as a “leader of all, but with the personal qualities of a friend.” Every member of her team knew that they could approach her. The feedback to the award judge on Teresa was relentlessly positive and overwhelmingly effusive. In discussion with her, however, the judge articulated how her humility and magnanimity shone through. She saw her role as creating sustainable greatness which was not about an individual but about the school and her colleagues.

Every child mattered to Teresa, not in a casual, political way but as the very core of her philosophy and actions. She drove change and improvement across the school; had the highest standards; was rigorous in her passion for better education for young people. Teresa managed to empower people, inspire them and made them want to succeed with her and for her. She made things happen in an efficient, effective, relevant and powerful way. She created confidence and belief, underpinned with a desire for everyone to be intelligently autonomous and successful. Teresa has now moved to a new role within the education sector.

The Community Impact Award

This award is aimed at members of school staff and/or volunteers who have contributed to the wellbeing, positive culture and engagement with the school’s stakeholders and key groups leading to effective partnership working between the school and its wider community.

Awarded to: The Community Team, Park Community School

Through the creation of ‘MUNCH’, the community team at Park Community School is ensuring that no child, no matter what school or age needs to go hungry during the holidays and even on Christmas Day. The project’s primary aim was to reduce food poverty but has also helped the local community deal with mental health, parenting problems and combating isolation.

The catering team creates delicious meals using food donated from local stores and their own smallholding. The team hasn’t stopped there - they now open their doors for Sunday lunch on the Sunday before payday and on a Thursday evening each week. The knock-on effect of this initiative is that it has broken down barriers and created links with ‘hard to reach’ families. The school nurse and other professionals have been able to forge relationships with these families, invite them to other events and help them develop their parenting skills.

MUNCH enables families to sit together and eat in a communal way, engaging in conversation. Volunteers from local churches help at MUNCH, socialising with families and playing with children, once the meal is over. One parent said: “This is the thing that is stopping me becoming really depressed”.

The Flying Colours Award

The award is aimed at teachers who have recently qualified (in their first to third year of teaching) and have made a significant contribution or development as a teacher.

Awarded to: David Tully, Crestwood Community School

As a newly qualified modern foreign languages teacher, David was described as a dedicated and truly passionate professional. Liked by pupils and valued by staff, David is cheerful, willing, unassuming, pragmatic and reflective in his own skills, wanting to develop himself as a teacher.

David’s languages classroom speaks volumes about the professional and meticulous approach he has adopted since embarking on his teaching career. Pupils spoke to the award judge passionately about David's lessons. He works imaginatively to bring language learning to life and combines a genuine interest in his pupils with fantastic delivery. He is clearly a team player and inspires others with his endeavour.

His Headteacher commented on the fact that he is always cheerful and is very much valued by all staff who work with him, and this was evident in colleagues who sought out the award judge to express their support for his nomination. David is liked immensely by pupils because of his ‘give it a go’ attitude. This was reflected in his participation in a Year 7 residential to Calshot where he got dragged up a ski lift by his feet, much to the hilarity of the students. David has fully thrown himself into all aspects of school life from joining the Parent Teacher Association to getting involved in drama productions.

The Teaching and Learning Award

The award is aimed at staff working in all areas of the curriculum in teaching and learning roles with a particular focus on their impact on pupils and the practice of others.

Awarded to: Nicola Harling, Ashley Junior School

Nicola is a teacher in the Resourced Provision for pupils with moderate learning difficulties. Developing individualised programmes to meet every child’s unique needs, Nicola has the ability to relate well to her pupils and promotes high aspirations for learning and behaviour for all.

Nicola’s practice embodies the very highest expectations for the learning of the most vulnerable children and the greatest possible care for them. Her work also conveys a shrewd understanding of how these expectations and values need to permeate whole school culture. Nicola has an extraordinary ability and passion for the work she leads in the Resourced Provision, igniting a love for learning and the most palpable feeling of being valued in the children. The unrehearsed words about Nicola, shared by children to the award judge included, “kind”, “passionate”, “hardworking” and “exciting”.

Nicola impresses those she works with, through ability and passion, demonstrating resilience and capacity to grapple with steep learning curves for the benefit of the children’s progress. Going the extra mile for parents is automatic for Nicola, working on a family by family basis to develop partnerships, mindful of their individuality and vulnerabilities too. The award judge has talked about the sheer privilege of half an hour with her and a group, seeing some of the most skilful teaching of numeracy and connectives alongside exemplary management of challenging behaviours

Outstanding Contribution to Education

The award is aimed at those staff members who have made a significant impact in the field of education, with a focus on contributions which have been transformative, turned around or a sustained performance over time.

Awarded to: Emma Colebourn, The Henry Beaufort School

As Head of PE, Emma has sculpted a department where everything is built to ensure that students are on the correct path from Year 7. Staff value her support; students feel encouraged to try new sports and parents value how she motivates their children in both sport and in the wider curriculum. Emma is an inspiration to all who come into contact with her. Leaders, colleagues, parents and most importantly students marvel at her positivity, organisation, inclusion and belief in them. In her five years at Henry Beaufort School she has revolutionised the PE department and more.

Emma herself is extremely modest, gregarious and fun. Students talked to the award judge of her ambitions for them all to have a way to be fit and enjoy good health in the future with recreational sports being as important as competitive sports. Her department offers a breadth of opportunities and has led to the school being on the sporting map.

Parents describe Emma as having the perfect balance of humour and respect; galvanising involvement through her welcome and beaming smile and her Oscar-like presentation evening where sports awards are given to children and parents for their support. Parents appreciate notes home thanking them for giving up their time and with numerous parental testimonials were presented to the award judge recognising the extent of her influence. Colleagues and leaders have talked of how motivated they feel working with Emma and how she includes everyone.

Governance Award

This award is aimed at individual governors, governor committees or working parties, with a particular focus on the contribution that governors have made to school improvement and/or the wider effectiveness of the governing body.

Award to: Brian Larbey, Bordon Infant School

Brian is a passionate and dedicated governor, truly wanting to make the governing body work for the children of the school. As Chair of a governing body, with a number of new governors, Brian has played a critical role in developing the governing body to be effective.

Brian is a driving force, fostering an ethos of trust, support and challenge, working tirelessly for the benefit of children at Bordon Infant School. Brian makes the job of governance more rewarding, encouraging and developing fellow governors to maximise the impact they can have on the school. He has skilfully shaped a very new group of governors into a body that are driving improvement as well has leading them through a successful Ofsted inspection.

Brian has suggested and supported new ways of work all with the focus of supporting and challenging the school to improve. Brian is a worthy winner of the first Hampshire Education award for Governance and is a great example of the difference volunteer Governors can make to the lives of Hampshire children.

An award for education and inclusion was awarded posthumously to the family of Helen Lloyd, who was formerly the Inclusion Manager at The Henry Cort Community School.

Education boss Councillor Stephen Reid said “What you have demonstrated is that, when it comes to teaching Hampshire’s children, ‘good enough’ is never good enough. You have all gone the extra mile to serve the young people of Hampshire and your aspiration to be better than ‘good enough’ is a positive example to everyone.”