Deserved praise for hardworking schools

Efficient procurement
St. Peter’s School won the School Recruitment Award, sponsored by E teach. Three years ago, St Peter’s School relied heavily upon agency staff to fill vacancies, but a comprehensive recruitment schedule which begins in December of each year includes attendance at recruitment events, hosting Teach in Cambridgeshire events and several training programmes. Trainee testimonials state that they have been ‘positively influenced by their professional development and experiences during their time at St Peter’s School’.

The School Music Award, which was sponsored by Stage Systems, went to Ellesmere College for its excellent music department which continues to grow and thrive and give opportunities to students and the wider community. The Chamber Choir have enjoyed their most successful year yet, reaching the finals of both the Barnardo’s National Choir Competition at the Royal Festival Hall, and the BBC Youth Choir of the Year competition. This year has also seen the launch of a new community orchestra. The Art & Craft Award, sponsored by KidZania, was presented to King’s Ely.

The Art department at King’s Ely incorporates specialist studio areas for fashion and textiles, fine art, sculpture and photography. Regular internal exhibitions showcase the passion of all students while external exhibitions of fashion design have taken place at ExCeL, Alexandra Palace and Olympia. Fine art and photography have been shown at the Apex Gallery and close links were forged with the local community when 200 children exhibited at Babylon Gallery. Radley College meanwhile were crowned worthy winners of the Sport Award. A new strength and conditioning centre forms the latest addition to Radley College’s state of the art sports facilities and sits alongside the athletics track and rowing centre, as required to support the college’s curriculum.

The new stand-alone building is split into two distinct wings; an athletics warm-up space and indoor rowing training room. Replacing two temporary sheds, the new training room provides space for 24 rowing machines for effective indoor training. The Community Award, sponsored by the Recruitment and Employment confederation, was awarded to Eastbourne College. As a major employer in the area and a significant part of the local economy, Eastbourne set up the Eastbourne Schools Partnership (ESP), which works to provide community, educational and sporting activities involving pupils, staff and the general public. ESP now comprises 12 schools and colleges and accounts for 14,000 children in the surrounding area.

The Academy Partnership Award, sponsored by Evac + Chair, was presented to Thomas Clarkson Academy (TCA), which recently became the first school in the area to start regularly donating its leftover food to the homeless. The Academy has teamed up with the Luminus Ferry Project, a charity which offers support and services to the homeless in Fenland. TCA donates hot and cold food leftover from lunchtime meals. The Academy’s catering team work with the shelter on a day-by-day basis and if there is anything suitable to be handed over, they call the ferry team after lunch to arrange a collection that afternoon. Students and families have also collected toiletries for the charity.