Swindon schools shine with inspiration

Inspirational teachers and stand-out schools were held up as beacons of excellence at a special awards ceremony.

The Swindon Education Excellence Awards 2017 were organised by Swindon Borough Council to recognise the outstanding contribution of staff and education providers throughout the borough.

The awards, which were sponsored by Zurich Municipal and held at The Marriott Hotel in Old Town, on Thursday evening (13th July) saw 43 Excellence Awards and 10 Healthy Schools Awards presented to proud school staff.

The Mayor of Swindon, Cllr Maureen Penny, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment, Cllr Fionuala Foley, and David Jones, National Education Manager for Zurich Municipal were on hand to give out the prizes. Wroughton Junior School Choir entertained the award winners and dignitaries with their outstanding singing before the awards ceremony got underway.

The audience also heard the inspirational story of former Olympic rower Guin Batten, representing the Youth Sports Trust, who gave a detailed account of her record-breaking effort to row across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Falmouth last summer.

The awards were split into a number of categories with eight individual teachers receiving Teacher Excellence Awards including: Amanda Thoburn (Holy Family Catholic Primary School), Laura Burchall and Tania Maggott (both from Lawn Manor Academy), Jaspreet Bansal and Ruth Farrow (both from Dorcan Academy), Lisa Murray (Grange Infant Community School), and Christine Mueller and Katrina Baxter (from Stratton Education Centre).

A host of schools were highlighted in recognition of pupil progress, good practice within schools, school achievement and school support.

There was also a category designed especially for headteachers who have made a special contribution to education in Swindon. Retiring headteachers Keith Defter (The Commonweal School), John Saunders (Highworth Warneford School) and Jane Wheatley (St Leonards CE Primary School) were all recognised as was Mags Clark the headteacher of Crowdy’s Hill School and Helen James, headteacher of the Marlborough House Adolescent Unit.

Laura McMahon of Dorcan Academy scooped The TeachFirst Teacher of the Year Award and eight teachers from Nova Hreod Academy shared the Celebrating Success Award.

“My hat goes off to all the award winners, they were all amazing but I must pay tribute to Mags Clark, Keith Defter, John Saunders, Jane Wheatley and Helen James who received awards for their special contribution to Swindon education – they have worked tirelessly throughout their careers to help young people in our borough and their accolades are fully deserved.”

Congratulations to all Award Winners!