Led by Pembroke College, Oxford, Oxnet is an established initiative run collaboratively between participating colleges at the University of Oxford, Durham University, the University of Manchester, and Hub secondary schools and colleges in London, the North West and North East of England.

During her time on the course, Bethany undertook a Study Day at Pembroke College, completed six academic seminars, submitted an essay for the Easter Essay competition, and completed a summer school week as an Oxford undergraduate student, where she was singled out by Oxford tutors for her work, and given a coveted Goldsmith Scholar prize.

Speaking of her experience, Bethany said: ‘It was intense, but it was great to prove that I could do it. I really liked the seminar series, as it was good to talk to experts in their field. We also had a small tutor group so that we could get personal feedback and that really made me think differently about tutorials at Oxford.’

Following her studies at Cheshire College, Bethany hopes to go to university to study Archaeology and Ancient History.

Bethany’s academic aspirations have been supported by The Futures Programme at Cheshire College, a unique selection of pathways designed to support progression onto employment and university.

Commenting on the programme, Bethany said: ‘The Futures Programme supported me in making the application to Oxnet and some of the team came to the summer residential, so it was nice to see some familiar faces. The Scholars group are really friendly, and my teachers are all very supportive too.’

Fiona Massey, the Futures Programme Coordinator said: “We hope that Bethany is proud of her award as a Goldsmith Scholar. We wish Bethany the very best in her future plans and look forward to welcoming her back as an alumna of the Scholars Programme to talk to current pupils about her journey.”

Dhesi, Principal and CEO of Cheshire College, commented: “We are very proud of Bethany’s achievements with the Oxnet Programme. Not only has her hard work and determination paid dividends, but her success will also inspire the new cohort of Scholars at Cheshire College.”

Cheshire College are now accepting applications for September 2023 for those interested in studying a diverse range of A Level subjects, designed to provide students with combined skills and knowledge that will fully prepare them for the next exciting stage of their life.

www.ccsw.ac.uk

The awards recognise the country’s best school library workers, their achievements, and their work to create and drive incredibly positive contributions to learning. According to a poll of SLA members, over 3 million books were lent to pupils over the last year alone, an average of 18 books per pupil.

These annual awards recognise, celebrate and promote the vital role school libraries play within their communities. Considered the most influential accolade in the industry, the annual awards are open to all state, academy and private schools. They are designed to identify and celebrate examples of best practice across the UK.

The judges selected one ‘Secondary School Librarian of the Year’ award winner and two joint winners in the ‘Primary School’ category. One winner was presented with the award in the ‘Enterprise’ category and one winner of the ‘Community Award’. The judges also gave a highly commended award to Hull Schools Library Service for its work with St Charles Academy.

The winners of the School Library Association 2022 awards in each category were:

The panels of judges, comprised of SLA trustees, authors, educational leaders and former SLA award winners, evaluated the entries based on each school’s needs, potential and commitment to supporting education standards.

Judges of the ‘School Librarian of the Year’ award in the ‘Secondary School’ category presented the trophy to Derek France of Preston Lodge High School, East Lothian, because of his engagement with his school’s different departments; bringing the library into the heart of the school. Derek runs fun and engaging research lessons tailored to what each class and teacher needs. The library feels like part of the life of the school.

Headteacher, Gavin Clark said: “Derek has energised a love for literature through many clubs. He empowers the students to start their own clubs including the new feminism club in the library which was proposed by a group of students. He has also organised many online author visits. A science teacher commented that this is the first school where he has taken advantage of the library, not because of the space but because of the librarian.”

Rumena Atkar of Firs Primary School, Castle Bromwich, and Jenny Griffiths of Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, London, were jointly awarded ‘School Librarian of the Year’ in the ‘Primary School’ category. The judges remarked that Rumena has managed to establish a whole school reading culture making a huge impact on learning. Every teacher the judges spoke to could name a child that has been positively impacted by Rumena.  She is the only librarian in the Trust and shows what a difference a librarian can make in a primary school setting.

In London, parents are choosing to send their children to Ravenscourt Park because of the library that Jenny Griffiths runs. The judges noted the constant stream of pupils wanting to borrow books, and because Jenny knows each of the students so well, she can always recommend a book they will love. Jenny also works really well with all members of staff and incorporates their teaching into her story-time, either through the choice of books or through what she chooses to highlight. She even runs a pupil librarian scheme and gets involved in all school open days.

For the Enterprise of the Year Award, the judges were impressed by the highly imaginative project run by Broughton Junior School in Aylesbury, Berkshire. The unprecedented use of space in both of the library areas – the garden and the ‘Victorian’ reading room, was respected by the judges as magical, with books that ‘mirrored’ the local community and in turn, encouraged the children’s curiosity.

The winner of the ‘Community Award’, which recognises wider support for the school library from local businesses or individuals, was the Alexandra Palace Children’s Book Award Team which included Helen Swinyard, Tanya Efthymiou, Gill Ward, and Kate Ereira. The project demonstrated a brilliant joint working initiative between primary, secondary schools and public libraries; one that the judges noted was refreshed each year to keep it feeling new. The longevity and growth of this project over several years is proof of how it is valued by the community.

Alison Tarrant, Chief Executive Officer at the School Library Association said: “We were really impressed with the high quality of entries for this year, and our panels of esteemed judges had an incredibly hard time selecting the winners – even harder than usual!

“To be named as an honouree is a great achievement in itself, but to be crowned a SLA Awards winner at a time when school libraries are vital for post-pandemic recovery to become the heart of so many schools, is something to truly celebrate. On behalf of all the judges, I would like to congratulate the winners.  They should be extremely proud of receiving this accolade, and we look forward to sharing their knowledge and experience with other schools across the UK.

“The awards play such a valuable part in not only rewarding excellence but also helping other schools to see what is possible. The SLA team and our panel of esteemed judges were amazed by the creativity and determination demonstrated by the winners.

“Congratulations to them all.”

For more information, please visit www.sla.org.uk.

Andy Worthy (left), who teaches engineering at the college’s City Campus, received the New North East Lecturer of the Year prize at the Lord Glenamara Memorial Awards after being praised for his journey from industry to education, as well as his dedication to helping students achieve and progress into rewarding careers.

Alongside his teaching role, Andy also helps prepare students for inter-college skills competitions and delivers interactive sessions to secondary school pupils at open events, encouraging them to explore the world of engineering and the careers it can lead to.

After receiving his award, Andy said: “I am honoured to have even been nominated for this great award and feel humbled to win it.

“Since joining the Further Education sector from the engineering industry, I have been supported by so many great people. The amazing team around me has made my transition so justifiably easy. Without their support, in particular, that of my brilliant and supportive line managers, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

“This award really is for me and my colleagues and the tireless work that we all do to ensure the best possible learning experiences and environments for our students. Long may we continue to encourage and support one another as we work toward a better future for our great region.”

Joining Sunderland College in 2017 as a workshop technician after working at automotive manufacturer Unipres, Andy soon developed a passion for teaching, which led to him studying his PCET at the University of Sunderland.

Following positive feedback from students and his colleagues, he was successful in being appointed as a lecturer within the Advanced Manufacturing department and quickly became an integral part of the curriculum team. With his industry links, he took on the role of Apprenticeship programme lead, delivering workshops, producing resources, and ensuring off the job training was delivered to the highest standard.

Curriculum Manager, Chris Lindridge, who nominated Andy, added: “Andy is truly deserving of this award.

“The Lord Glenamara Memorial Awards were a celebration of the best educator in their profession and Andy did himself and every one of us proud. He has taken the step to move from industry into education and has given 100% throughout his journey. He is always the first to offer a solution and can always be relied upon to help both staff and students without fail.

“He was humble in his acceptance speech but having the opportunity to be present to see the joy that this award brought not only to him but to his family was so rewarding.

“Andy embodies the college values in everything he does, and this award is testament to his commitment to Sunderland College and the students who he has inspired both past and present.”

Introduced by the Department for Education in 2012 in memory of former Education Secretary and Newcastle MP Ted Short, the Lord Glenamara Memorial Awards allow top talent from across the North East to take centre stage and celebrate great achievements and talents of young people across the region in technical education, emerging teaching talent, and also those involved in pastoral care and careers education.

Considered the most influential accolade in the industry, the annual awards, which are open to state, academy and private SLA members, identify and celebrate examples of best practice across the UK.

The judges selected thirteen school librarians and schools to honour, across three categories of excellence: School Librarian of the Year Award, Community Award and Enterprise Award.

Judges of the School Librarian of the Year award were looking for librarians demonstrating a commitment to continual professional development, strong engagement with all school departments, innovative stock rotation and excellent examples of pastoral care.

In the Enterprise of the Year award, the judges considered evidence of individual projects that involved the imaginative use of resources in the form of space and stock along with any other initiatives such as a rebuilding or refurbishment project.

The Community Award highlights wider support for the school library. This included backing from a local business or individuals who have provided outstanding assistance to a school whether this be in the form of funding, infrastructure, advice, resources or simply their time.

The panel of judges, comprised of SLA trustees, authors, charity fundraisers and former SLA award winners, evaluated each entry based on its appreciation of the sector’s needs, potential and commitment to supporting education standards.

The honourees of the School Library Association Awards 2022 in each category are:

The winners in each of the three categories will be announced on the 20^th October.

Alison Tarrant, chief executive office of the SLA  (pictured left) said: “This year we had more entries than we anticipated, given the intense time schools were experiencing last September, and it was great to launch our two new Awards: the Community Award and Enterprise of the Year Award. Our panel of esteemed judges had an incredibly hard time selecting the honourees. It was a long but very positive experience seeing the level of excellence being achieved in so many schools’ libraries.

“It was also heartening to see the range of work going on in school libraries which is positively impacting not only children, but their families and teachers as well. This support is only more important as we recover from COVID and look to get through another difficult period for most families.”

The nominations for the Awards for 2023 are now open. For more information, please visit https://www.sla.org.uk/awards.

The programme is operated on an annual basis by leading outdoor education charity, the Field Studies Council (FSC), and this year due to increased funding, there are a total of 75 scholarships on offer, all of which are heavily subsidised.

Dylan Byrne, Youth Engagement Officer for FSC, said the scholarships presented an “unmissable” opportunity for young people interested in developing their passion for the environment. “We’ve been running this programme successfully for the last 10 years and it’s a fantastic way for young people to develop their environmental skills and knowledge as well as build long-lasting friendships with other like-minded individuals.

“Due to increased funding, we have 75 places available on the programme this year – which is a fivefold increase in the number of scholarships compared to previous years – so it really is an unmissable opportunity, and we would encourage anyone interested to get their applications in as soon as they can.”

The scholarship programme, which was first introduced at FSC’s Preston Montford field centre near Shrewsbury – the birthplace of Charles Darwin – starts with a five-day immersive experience integrating fieldwork, biodiversity identification skills, career guidance and networking opportunities.

Scholars will also have access to ongoing mentoring and support as part of the scholarship programme, as well as online and in-person training from a range of FSC specialist staff and mentors.

This year, the on-site training will be run at five locations across the UK including the FSC’s own field centres at Preston Montford in Shrewsbury and Caste Head near Cumbria. Scholars will also use the YHA site at Potato Wharf in Manchester and undertake local site visits to Risley Moss and Rixton Clay Pits. In Bristol, training will be based at YHA Bristol at Narrow Quay and visits to Leigh Woods and Avon Grow Wilder will take place. In London, scholars will use training sites at Stave Hill, Regents Park and Bushy Park.

The scholarship programme has received significant funding through the Generation Green project and the Our Bright Future project as well as generous donations from organisations such as the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) and Ground Control UK.

Dylan added: “This programme is aimed at supporting young people with their long-term environmental goals, whether that be supporting them onto the correct pathway to an environmental career, ensuring they have the skills and knowledge to support a more sustainable lifestyle or enabling them to meet people who share the same mindset about the environment and nature recovery as they do.

“90 per cent of all scholarship fees are covered by the charity due to the funding and donations available. Successful applicants will only be asked to fund the remaining 10 per cent of the costs which works out to be either £45 or £90 depending on which location they visit. It really is a unique chance particularly for those who can’t easily access wide outdoor spaces from whey they live.”

Applications for this year’s programme close on June 5, 2022, and extra support is available for those individuals who may financially struggle to cover the remaining 10 per cent of the fees.

For further details on how to apply visit https://www.field-studies-council.org/young-darwin-scholarship-applications/

The Education Resources Awards, organised by Brilliant Marketing Solutions and the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), highlight the quality and diversity of educational products and resources, excellent educational establishments and the most dedicated members of the teaching profession and supplier industry, all working together to encourage the very best in education.

Emma Ringe, Schools Director, Whizz Education explains: “Wow, to be shortlisted for three ERA awards is a huge achievement for our team!  We are particularly proud that our work has been recognised in association with Roskear Primary School in the Collaboration with a School category, as the teachers and students have made excellent progress in maths.

“We began work with Roskear Primary school in Cornwall early in 2019 with the objective of accelerating progress of lower attaining pupils through the mathematics curriculum, resulting in an increase of pupils achieving age-related progress expectations within teacher assessment.

“Whizz Education now delivers an innovative menu of services – including planning, training, assessment and reporting, live impact data, course correction plus access to our virtual tutor Maths-Whizz – to improve learning outcomes in maths and drive-up standards of attainment, all tailored to the needs of Roskear.”

So far, this academic year, over 90% of Roskear pupils who used Maths-Whizz for 50 minutes or more have made accelerated progress on their maths-age.

Jess Morris-Marsham Maths Leader, Team Leader for Years 3 and 4 and Year 5 Teacher Roskear Primary School stated: “Our most recent assessments identified the Year 2 pupils who were below ARE in the autumn due to learning loss following COVID.  Following the after-school interventions where children used the virtual tutor Maths-Whizz for two hours per week, plus their weekly lesson in class, each one of those children had reached ARE within six weeks.

“Working with Whizz Education to help our students improve learning outcomes has been extremely rewarding.  We are delighted to have been nominated for this important award which recognises the great progress of our pupils across the full range of abilities.”

The winners of the Education Resource Awards will be announced at an event at The National Conference Centre Birmingham on 6th May 2022.

For further information about The Education Resource Awards please see: www.educationresourcesawards.co.uk and for Whizz Education please see: www.whizz.com

The finals of the Growing Future Assets Investment Competition, which nurtures the next generation of female investment experts, will be held in March, when a total of eight teams compete for the top spots in junior and senior contests.

And this year the competition is tougher than ever with entries up by a record-breaking 300%.

Making it to the last stage in the 16-18 year age group are pupils from: Lochaber High School (Fort William, Inverness-shire); North Berwick High School (East Lothian); St Columba’s High School (Gourock, Inverclyde) and Wellington School (Ayr). In the 13-16 year age group, those in the finals are from: Bishopbriggs Academy (East Dunbartonshire); Craigmount High School (Edinburgh); Deans Community High School (Livingston, West Lothian) and Larbert High School (Falkirk).

Financial educators Future Asset believe that being female should never be a barrier to progressing in a chosen career and the contest introduces senior schoolgirls to potential careers in investment management, demonstrating how working in the sector provides engaging opportunities and can change the world for the better.

During the competition youngsters must prove their ability to spot the next big investment opportunity by researching, analysing and pitching a company they think will be a great long-term prospect.

And teenagers have reacted enthusiastically to the opportunity, despite the challenges of the pandemic, with 62 groups, comprising 240 girls, from all over Scotland taking part.

They have been mentored by investment management professionals offering advice, inspiration and career insights, and supported by teachers who have gone above and beyond in providing extra-curricular activities.

Business Education Teacher Hannah Fox, North Berwick High School (East Lothian) says: “The Growing Assets Investment Competition connects classroom learning to the Investment Industry as the students are able to make use of their learning from Business Management and Economics related subjects.

“The task set makes it abundantly clear what a role in the industry might look like, breaking away from the stereotypical portrayal of the industry in movies. It pushes students out of their comfort zone in areas such as interacting with professionals to ask advice and run ideas past and allows them to experience managing a varied workload as well as the value of team work.

“The enthusiasm from the Future Asset Team and their guest speakers is second to none, as is the support the students receive throughout the competition. The students are very fortunate to be given access to such talented individuals and high-quality resources.”

This year more than 80 investment mentors from 28 firms, including Baillie Gifford, Stewart Investors, Walter Scott and Partners and Rathbone Investment Management, volunteered to counsel the youngsters.

Mentor and investments expert Amanda Forsyth says: “The competition has proved to be a superb exercise, not just in demystifying some elements of the working of the stock market, but also in helping the teams identify skills in themselves, the relevance of which to investment processes might not have been obvious.

“Good communication is crucial in writing research and finding that the ability to construct a flowing argument is something that truly matters was a real breakthrough moment for the members of the team who already enjoy writing. The Growing Future Assets Investment Competition has very obviously unlocked for these young women a plethora of new opportunities – and for me, as their mentor, seeing that happen has been a joy.”

Experts from journalism and business have also advised the teenagers with Executive and Voice Coach Susan Room boosting their skills and confidence with online masterclasses in Mindset, Body Language, Speech and Voice, and author, broadcaster and financial journalist Iona Bain explaining how they can invest their way to a better future.

Now in its second year, the teams have already presented their case in a research report and three-minute elevator pitch. The eight finalists will deliver an extended pitch to judges at the beginning of March with the winners announced on March 2.

The champions will receive: £1000 for the winning senior team and £200-worth of vouchers of the students’ choice for each team member; £800 for the best junior team and £150-worth of vouchers each. Senior and junior runners-up receive £500 and £100 of vouchers and £400 and £75 of vouchers, respectively.

Helen Bradley, Future Asset programme manager, says: “The response to this year’s competition from the youngsters has just been astounding – matched by a fantastic level of commitment from teachers and mentors.

“And the calibre of entries has been so impressive. The judges are going to have a challenging job on their hands determining which teams are the true future stars of the investment industry.”

For more information visit https://www.futureasset.org.uk/

Yvonne, 56, was appointed Chief Executive of STEM Learning in October 2010.

During her time at STEM Learning, she has fulfilled a long-held ambition for many in the UK education sector by creating a true “home of all things STEM” for teachers and others who support young people.

STEM Learning’s mission is to make a world leading STEM education available to ALL young people across the UK. Yvonne has been unwavering in her drive to bring together disparate STEM organisations to make this vision a reality, believing that “great STEM education has economic, social, cultural and ethical value, with positive impacts on social mobility, diversity and inclusion.”

As Yvonne says “Even in normal times, teachers have one of the most difficult and important jobs in the world –- and that has been especially true over the last two years. The teachers we support are some of the most dedicated people in the profession.”

Over the next five years Yvonne will be focussed on supporting young people who are living in the most disadvantaged communities in the UK. She is passionate about the crucial importance of great teaching and providing meaningful, sustained support for young people. Yvonne’s driving force is a deep belief that STEM education provides young people with choice in terms of what they want to do with their lives.

Alongside her role at STEM Learning, Yvonne is Chair of Governors at Heworth Grange School, a Trustee of The 5% Club – an employer-led organisation promoting apprenticeships and other earn-and-learn routes – and a member of the Royal Society Education Committee. She was until recently co-Chair of The Institution of Engineering & Technology’s Education and Skills Panel. She is a Chartered Chemical Engineer.

Yvonne Baker said: “This award isn’t something I would ever have sought or expected – but I’m delighted to accept it on behalf of STEM Learning .”

Yvonne recognises the importance of all the people who work at STEM Learning and the long list of organisations that so generously support its mission. “I am privileged to work with people who share a genuine belief in and commitment to STEM education as something that can really change young people’s lives. I owe huge gratitude to the members of the STEM Learning and ENTHUSE Charitable Trust boards.”

As she says herself “I was lucky enough to have parents, teachers, university lecturers, friends and others who supported me throughout my early years right up to university and beyond (and continue to do so). That support has been the absolute bedrock of my life – but I realise that not every young person is so lucky. I also know that we, as a country and globally, need young people to be able and motivated to contribute to the economy and society so we can continue to function and address the opportunities as well as challenges facing us.”

Opened in 2001, Millennium Point is a landmark public building in the Eastside of Birmingham city centre. Inside, it is home to 17 versatile event spaces including a 354-capacity auditorium, meeting rooms and offices, and tenants, including ThinkTank and Birmingham City University (BCU).

Commercial activity that takes place in the Millennium Point building feeds back into the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. This enables the charity to donate to, invest in, and facilitate STEM-related projects, events and initiatives in the West Midlands. This has included over £2.7m in STEM grants to schools, not-for-profits and charities in Greater Birmingham and the Wider West Midlands.

In addition, the trust funds £16,650 in STEM degree scholarships annually, in partnership with Birmingham City University. To date, scholarships have totalled over £83,000.

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point (pictured at left) said: “Promoting STEM education across the region is what we do – increasing the opportunities for the next generation via some of the most exciting career paths available. “As a meeting and events space, the last 18 months has been incredibly challenging, but it’s fantastic that we have continued throughout to contribute to the West Midlands’ myriad of exciting STEM projects and initiatives.”

The trust has also announced an extension to the deadline for applications to the Millennium Point Charitable Trust STEM Grants Programme 2022, which is now 5pm on Friday December 17th.

With STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) funding grants of up to £20,000 available, the trust has moved the deadline to give more organisations time to apply for money that can often be life-changing for young people and their future careers.

Paul Hughes, Schools Manager at the Aston Villa Foundation, commented: “The STEM grant we received from the Millennium Point Trust funded our innovative STEM Stars project, which has allowed us to add a new dimension to our provision and provide children, teachers and schools the opportunity to embark on their STEM education journey helping to develop skills of the future and make a real difference.’’

The latest round of funding in 2021 saw a wide range of successful, creative STEM projects – from a proposal to build a fully operational light aircraft to STEM training toolkits for schools.

Abbie Vlahakis added: “Every year we are impressed and inspired by the applications we receive for our small grants programme, and this year has been no exception – and I’d urge any organisation looking to fund an exciting STEM project in 2022 that there’s still time for their idea to be considered.”

To apply for a grant, go to: www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/trust/grants/apply/

Emma Ringe, Schools Director, Whizz Education explains:  “Whizz Education has more than 15 years’ experience partnering with schools to improve learning outcomes in maths.  We adapt our approach to each implementation to deliver the best outcomes for students.  By working together with schools, maths provision outcomes can dramatically be improved over time.

“As an organisation, we deploy a holistic approach to raising standards in learning including educational programme design and implementation planning in consultation with schools, and adapted to local and contextual needs, to provide tangible learning outcomes. Our educational consultants  analyse and recycle insights from real-time data facilitated by our award-winning tutoring platform maths-whizz. This blended approach drives a much higher impact on improving quality of maths efficiency and fluency within a school provision than EdTech resources alone.

“Our experienced educators work in partnership with schools to develop and implement a plan aligned with defined objectives.  We work to train teachers how to navigate our virtual tutoring service, its accompanying data and library and instructional resources to deliver a more engaging and creative approach to maths.  The result is reinforced curriculum delivery and assessment, a quickened pace of learning outcomes and reduced workload for teachers.

“We are delighted now to be nominated for these two premier awards in the education sector, which recognise our contribution to creativity and innovation with the use of technology with maths education.”

1.5 million children around the world have now benefited from using the Maths-Whizz virtual tutor.  Research conducted with over 12,000 students and verified by independent experts, demonstrates that children who learn with Maths-Whizz Tutor for 45-60 minutes a week increase their Maths Age by an average of 18 months in their first year.

The final winners of the Bett Awards will be announced at a ceremony to be held on 19 January 2022 at the Brewery, London.

For further information please see:  www.whizz.com/schools