News
Kent school does
Secondary Teaching Award winners (region in brackets):
The Award for Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School
Dan Walton, St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend
(South East)
Hélène Tulodziecki, Twynham School, Christchurch (South)
Helen Gosnell, Sir John Lawes School, Harpenden (East)
Susan Dench, Valley Comprehensive School, Worksop (East Midlands)
the double at
Steve Rose, Ralph Allen School, Bath (West)
Gaynor Deacon, Porth County Community School, Porth (Wales)
The Royal Air Force Award for Headteacher of the Year in a
Secondary School
Louise Duncan, Sunbury Manor School, Sunbury on Thames (South East)
Julie Rose, Everest Community College, Basingstoke (South)
Teaching Awards
Alan Gray, Sandringham School, St Albans (East)
Jane Brown, New College, Leicester (East Midlands)
Allen McConaghie, Cleeve School, Cheltenham (West)
Philip Jones, Heolddu Comprehensive School, Bargoed (Wales)
The Award for Special Needs Teacher of the Year
Phil Potter, Bradfields School, Chatham (South East)
Samantha Nosal, High Close School (Barnardo’s), Wokingham (South)
by Chris Parr
Deborah James, Holme Court School, Biggleswade (East)
Kath Davies, Ysgol Penmaes, Brecon (Wales)
Having one teacher recognised The DCSF Award for Enterprise
by a Teaching Award is a massive Colm Murphy, St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend
achievement in any school, but St (South East)
John’s Catholic Comprehensive David Armstrong, Simpson School, Milton Keynes (East)
in Kent was celebrating twice last Rebecca Hughes, Selworthy School, Taunton (West)
week when two of its staff walked Maxine Pittaway, St Christopher’s School, Wrexham (Wales)
away with regional awards.
At the South East finals, which The Becta Award for Next Generation Learning
took place on Tuesday, June 2, Suzanne Patt, Wrotham School, Sevenoaks (South East)
maths teacher Dan Walton was Gavin Byford, Tendring Technology College, Frinton on Sea (East)
named Teacher of the Year in a Neil Oldbury, The Elizabethan High School, Retford (East Midlands)
Secondary School, while his St Chris Baker, John Cabot Academy, Bristol (West)
John’s colleague, history teacher
Colm Murphy, took home the The DCSF Award for Sustainable Schools,
Award for Enterprise. The Skinners’ School, Tunbridge Wells (South East)
Mr Walton, 28, was up against Ringwood School, Hampshire (South)
around 40 other teachers in his

King
Leaden Hall School, Salisbury (West)
category. He was nominated by the
head and deputy head at the school,
Carmel
The SSAT Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year
and the judges said they had “rarely, Elizabeth Goddard, Farnborough Hill School, Farnborough (South)
if ever, seen or heard of a teacher of
Photos:
Howard Frizzell, Tendring Technology College, Frinton on Sea (East)
Dan’s quality”. Double whammy: Colleagues Colm Murphy (left) and Dan Walton were both winners Laura Emberson, New College, Leicester (East Midlands)
His lessons are described by stu- Christopher Gee, Priory Community School, Weston-super-Mare (West)
dents as “wicked”, while to many be there, never mind coming home ceremony, Louise Duncan scooped She added: “I was so moved Cathy Young, Pembroke School, Pembroke (Wales)
older students he is referred to as with the prize.” the Headteacher of the Year in a just to find out I’d been nominated.
“a legend”. Meanwhile, Mr Murphy, 52, Secondary School for her work at News travels fast around here, and The TDA Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year
After receiving his award – pre- picked up his Enterprise Teaching Sunbury Manor School in Surrey. I’ve had so many people come up to Jane Taylor, Budmouth Technology College, Weymouth (South)
sented by Pete Henshaw, editor of Award for his work as the school’s Since her arrival at the school me offering congratulations. I really Juliet Dowling, The William De Ferrers School, Chelmsford (East)
SecEd – Mr Walton told us: “I was head of history, careers co-ordi- eight years ago, Ms Duncan has can’t get my head around it.” Ann Roberts, Hastings High School, Hinckley (East Midlands)
so honoured and privileged just to nator, and leader of business and transformed it from what had been Ceremonies also took place this Pat Vinson, Cleeve School, Cheltenham (West)
enterprise. described as “a sink school with a week in the East Midlands, Wales, Jennifer Phillips, The Hollies School, Cardiff (Wales)
Winners: (below, from left) In addition to organising his- very bad reputation” into the over- and in the South, West, and East of
Dan Walton picks up his tory trips abroad, Mr Murphy has subscribed school of choice for England. Other schools celebrating The DCSF Award for Governor of the Year
secondary teacher award invited war veterans into school to local families. double wins were New College Liz Hutton, The Wye Valley School, Bourne End (South)
from SecEd editor Pete speak to students, and had work In that time, GCSE results have in Leicester, Tendring Technology Megan Crawford, Oakgrove School, Milton Keynes (East)
Henshaw; students from translated into Polish and Slovak increased from 32 per cent five A* College in Frinton on Sea, and Dan Roberts, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, Cardiff (Wales)
Everest Community College for newly arrived pupils. to C grades to 74 per cent. Cleeve School in Cheltenham,
celebrate after their head He told SecEd: “I was absolutely She told SecEd: “I remem- while SecEd’s editor also presented The Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement
Julie Rose won in the South stunned. It was totally surprising to ber when I joined the school, it Gaynor Deacon, of Porth County Vic Galyer, Challney High School for Boys and Community College,
region; Louse Duncan from hear that Dan (Walton) had won too was known by a lot of parents as Community School in Wales, Luton (East)
Sunbury Manor School – he’s a great teacher. ‘Scum-bury Manor’, because of its with the Teacher of the Year in Bernard Nicholson, The Trinity School, Nottingham (East Midlands)
was named head of the “I’ve always seen teachers reputation. We’ve really turned that a Secondary School award at the Robert Geraint Williams, Ysgol Cynfran Llysfaen, Colwyn Bay (Wales)
year in the South East; receiving their trophies on the tel- around, and I’m so proud to have Welsh finals in Cardiff.
Susan Dench from Valley evision, and thought I’d never be received this award.” The latest winners are listed here, The Welsh Assembly Government Award for the Promotion of the
Comprehensive picked up good enough to get one myself. I’m Ms Duncan, 43, still teaches and SecEd continues its coverage of Welsh Language in a School
the secondary teacher prize really blown away.” French lessons at the school and was the regional ceremonies next week. Bethan Guilfoyle, Treorchy Comprehensive School, Treorchy (Wales only)
in the East Midlands Elsewhere at the South East nominated by year 8 student Rosie. Visit www.teachingawards.com
Students encouraged to have their
Pupils take action on climate change
Hundreds of schools across the Matt Bell, director of campaigns environment. The students also got
say on future of Welsh education
country took part in one of Britain’s and education at CABE, told us: the chance to design and make their
biggest days of action on climate “Everything about a school should own “bag for life”, to cut usage of
change last week. model how to be sustainable: the plastic bags.
Teachers in Wales are being asked Strategy consultation, which was we can do to make learning Welsh Green Day, organised by CABE buildings, the lessons, how you get Nurinder Johal, geography
to encourage pupils to have their launched at a recent national youth more exciting and enjoyable, how (the Commission for Architecture there, what you eat, and even what teacher and eco-school co-ordina-
say on the future of Welsh medium event – the Urdd Eisteddfod in we can make the Welsh language and the Built Environment), took you wear. Green Day is a fun way tor, told us: “We have looked at
education. Cardiff. more accessible for everyone, and place on Friday (June 5), and aimed to embed that idea in the values and so many different things, from the
The Welsh Assembly govern- The pupils’ ideas and comments how we can continue to develop to put environmental issues on the ethos of every school.” graffiti of local buildings to looking
ment wants pupils to comment will feed into the consultation which and strengthen the language across curriculum and give schools the At Small Heath School in after local parks.
on how Welsh learning could lasts until August 5. the board. chance to cut energy use and make Birmingham, the year 7 curricu- “Our local MP, Roger Godsiff,
be improved, whether they get “It’s extremely important for us “It’s essential that we hear the their buildings more sustainable. lum was suspended so that the stu- came down to take a look and he
enough tuition, and what more to hear the views of young people voices of young people on this It coincided with World dents could take part in a series also spoke to the children about
can be done in out-of-school in Wales on all issues which relate very important subject.” Environment Day, and some 100,000 of six workshops, and all pupils what the local council could do to
activities. to their education and their futures,” Teachers and pupils can get youngsters were involved, taking part were encouraged to wear some- help the school with its environ-
The appeal to students is Ms Hutt said. information on making their views in environmental debates, wearing thing green. mental projects.”
part of education minister Jane “I want to hear suggestions from known by visiting www.wales. green clothes to school, cycling to Among the workshop topics For more information on the
Hutt’s Welsh Medium Education young people of all ages on what gov.uk/consultations school, and creating podcasts on how were water efficiency, energy man- day, visit www.cabe.org.uk/
their city could reduce energy waste. agement, recycling, and the local education/green-day
 SecEd • June 11 2009
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