Research School Network: Wyndham Primary Academy win the English Team of the Year at 2018 TES Schools Awards


Wyndham Primary Academy win the English Team of the Year at 2018 TES Schools Awards

We’re really proud to announce that Wyndham Primary Academy has won the English teacher or team of the year award at the 2018 TES Schools Awards. Being a primary, the teaching of English is a team effort across the whole school and it shows the hard work everyone across the school puts in every day of the week. Staff have a real passion to make a difference and being evidence-informed and engaged with research helps them to refine their practice, deepen their pedagogy, innovate and meaningfully evaluate. So, I’m taking a moment to thank our staff for their amazing hard work and dedication to their craft across the whole school. I’m proud to be part of the Wyndham Team and feel honoured to work alongside them. Amazing job! So, with this in mind, here is the official press release from the TES team celebrating the award.

Tammy Elward, Director of the Derby Research School

The awards, celebrating their tenth year, recognise outstanding contributions made by education teams and individuals to help students around the country to succeed, both inside and outside the classroom.

Wyndham Primary Academy is in an inner-city school in an area of high deprivation. However, it refuses to let this be a barrier for its pupils. The school has adopted an English mastery curriculum, which means the class text changes half-termly. Each child is given their own copy of the book, which they keep and share with adults at home. The class book, specifically chosen to broaden children’s experiences, vocabulary and knowledge, is used as a hook for all learning experiences across the curriculum.

Oracy runs like a golden thread through the curriculum, with mysterious UFO sightings being reported in the school’s newsroom, and pupils commentating on Quidditch matches played at the school using Wyndham’s radio station.

As a result of Wyndham’s whole-school approach, by the end of Year 6 reading and writing attainment exceeded the national standard – reading was 81 per cent compared with 71 per cent nationally, and writing was 84 per cent compared with 76 per cent nationally.

The lead judge commented: Wyndham Primary Academy’s English department is a close-knit and highly inventive team. They are rightly proud of the time and resources they not only put into their pupils, but also into their staff’s professional development; and all the time they prioritise learning, and a love of reading and writing. Their work is evidence-informed, their planning collaborative and rigorous. Their commitment unstinting. This is a team at the top of their game, dedicated to excellence, to innovation, to partnerships and to improving the life chances of all their pupils.”

Tes editor Ann Mroz said:

This was a record year for entries and the standard was exceptionally high. The shortlists were particularly strong so all those who have won an award should be very proud — it’s an extraordinary achievement. We salute each and every one of them.”

The list of this year’s categories is as follows (full details of the winners can be viewed here)

1. Services to education

2. Lifetime achievement

3. Creative school of the year

4. Healthy school of the year

5. Sustainable schools award

6. Community and collaboration award

7. International award

8. Employer of the year

9. English teacher or team of the year

10. Maths teacher or team of the year

11. Science, technology and engineering teacher or team of the year

12. New teacher of the year

13. Innovative use of technology to influence outcomes

14. Headteacher of the year

15. Early years setting of the year

16. Alternative provision school of the year

17. Primary school of the year

18. Secondary school of the year

19. Overall school of the year

For more coverage of the awards, profiles of the winners and photos from the evening, please visit tesawards.co.uk or pick up a copy of Tes magazine, available in newsagents from Friday 29 June.

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