04 NEWS FROM YOU


Hertfordshire school named as State Secondary School of the Year for 2017


A school in Potters Bar has been named as The Sunday Times State Secondary School of the Year for 2017. Dame Alice Owen’s School received the


accolade last term and became the first non-gram- mar school to win the prestigious award. The Sunday Times Parent Power award


recognised this school not only for its academic achievements, but also for its extra-curricular programme, parent feedback and the success of former pupils. Hannah Nemko, who took over as Head- teacher from Dr Alan Davison earlier in 2016, said: “We are delighted to be named and recognised by


The Sunday Times as the best state school in the country. I am fortunate to work with outstanding parents and students who are both interested and interesting; supportive trustees and govern- ing body; and the most dedicated staff I have had the good fortune to work with. “I look forward to developing all that is good


about Dame Alice Owen’s: our unashamedly academic values; our pursuit of excellence in the arts, music and extracurricular opportunities; and our emphasis on personal development, social skills and moral values, to ensure that every child leaves being the best person that they can be.” Last summer, 82% of A-level papers achieved


at least a B grade, while more than half – 55% – gained an A* or A. Pupils also performed highly at GCSE, with 68.6% of entries reaching the top two grades. These great results meant Dame Alice


Owen’s School leapt into the top 40 from 58th position last year in the league table, and is the highest-performing non-fully selective school in the country. Student progression was said to be highly


effective, with plenty of opportunities for teaching pupils about resilience, patience, focus and to be part of a team. “Pupils can find what they are good at, and do


what they are good at, and get better and better at what they are good at; that helps improve their self-esteem and helps them become more confi- dent and well rounded,” says Nemko. “We do lots around resilience. To help a child


grow into the best person they can be, it is not just about their education, it is about their attitude to themselves. We try our very best to prepare students for the real world, to be successful adults. What you need to be a successful adult is the capacity and ability to learn and to deal with setbacks.”


THE EXCHANGE


Teacher recognised in recent WWF awards by Ryan Fisher, Journalist


Woolenwick Infant and Nursery School’s inspi- rational INCO, Christina Anderson, has been recognised by wildlife charity WWF in their recent teaching awards.


Christina was runner-up of the Green Ambassa- dor Teacher of the Year 2016, after the charity noticed her passion for the environment and, in particular, about inspiring the children to foster a love of nature, empowering them with the skills to make a real difference for our wildlife, their habitats and our shared world.


Along with two colleagues and six Year 2 children, Christina was invited to attend the two-day WWF conference in Shropshire. They experienced a number of exhilarating team-building challeng- es, including high ropes, a zip wire, giant inflata- bles and a woodland night walk. The conference culminated in the awards ceremony, where Chris- tina’s achievements were formally recognised.


A statement on the WWF website says: “At the heart of Woolenwick Infant and Nursery School is a dedicated teacher whose passion for the envi- ronment is clearly demonstrated in everything she sets out to achieve. Christina looks at ways to embed environmental issues into the curriculum


If you have any news that you want to share, contact:


theexchange@ hertsforlearning.co.uk


through a creative approach and always has pupil learning at the heart of what she does.


“Her drive has forged connections with the community,


councillors, other organisations


such as the RSPB and she’s always looking for ways to demonstrate and showcase the amazing work within school – for example the Stevenage in Bloom competition and Best in School Garden Award 2015.”


Headteacher Mrs Dhorajiwala added: “Christi- na's contribution each day makes a huge differ- ence to the pupils and families of the school community”.


Christina led the school to hold Green Flag status for the last four years, Woolenwick being the first infant school in Hertfordshire to receive this accolade. The whole staff team is committed to eco values, and the ethos is embedded in the school’s practices.


The school has built up strong links with RSPB and the local community. Christina has featured on Teachers TV, national TV and on the RSPB website. She leads eco clusters in the commu- nity, and the eco council within Woolenwick


Infant and Nursery School.


The latest achievement of the eco council was the building of a treehouse, to commemorate the school’s 40th birthday. Christina led the project, notably sourcing a local company committed to sustainability.


The treehouse was the idea of a Year 2 pupil, who shared her dream for a birthday treehouse with the mayor back in September 2015. The idea was taken to the school council and soon the whole school was buzzing in anticipation.


The children designed and built their own dream treehouse models, and shared them in an exhibi- tion with the wider school and local builders. The builders used common elements from the chil- dren’s ideas in the final design.


The children hosted consultations with the school’s neighbours and kept a close eye on the whole project, from design to completion.


Christina led the community fundrais- ing, amassing a total of £15,000, which was matched by the school governors to realise the children’s dream.


For more information about how to get your school involved with the WWF, please visit: www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools


The Chartered College of Teaching run by teachers for teachers launched


Thousands of teachers have signed up to a new initiative called The Chartered College of Teaching, to provide teachers with access to rigorous, high-quality research and profes- sional learning opportunities.


The Chartered College of Teaching is non-politi- cal and seeks to represent and respect the broad spectrum of opinion and practice embodied in the teaching profession.


Membership costs £39 per annum. Initially, Founding Membership is open to teachers only, however, additional membership options will be launched soon. To become a Founding Member


you will need to hold a degree qualification or equivalent; and be a teacher or school leader currently professionally engaged in teaching in early years, school, college or Post-16 setting. Membership includes:


• access to over 2,000 full text journals, e-books, research and materials covering a broad range of education issues and subject-specific topics


• an opportunity to become involved in our emerging regional communities, locally-led groups sharing evidence-informed practice to address local issues


• an electronic subscription to a peer- reviewed journal


Online application for Founding Membership can be found at www.collegeofteaching.org


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