SALFORD CITY ACADEMY TEACHER NAMED SCHOOL LEADER OF THE YEAR
Chloe Willis
/ Categories: News
~ Academy scoops two Best in Everyone Awards ~
Salford City Academy is celebrating after scooping two staff awards at United Learning’s national Best in Everyone Awards. The awards recognise the impressive achievements of United Learning’s students and staff across the country.
Pip Temple-Heald, who heads up the academy’s Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programme, was named School Leader of the Year. She had been nominated by her colleagues for the way in which she equips newly qualified teachers with the skills, expertise and mindset to succeed in their careers. Under Pip’s leadership, the academy’s ITT programme has evolved in recent years and now includes weekly briefing breakfasts, update bulletins and a paired coaching programme where Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT) and Recently Qualified Teachers (RQT) work collaboratively to develop their practice. As a result of Pip’s work, the academy has received a number of national awards for the quality of its ITT provision.
Congratulating Pip on her award, Adam Rashud Vice Principal at Salford City Academy, said:
‘Pip is always so full of energy, ideas and positivity. Nothing is ever too much for her and she goes above and beyond to support our NQTs and RQTs. Her enthusiasm, care for others and professional standards are of real value to Salford City Academy and both staff and students are lucky to have her.’
Pip said:
‘’I was very surprised to receive a nomination for Leader of the Year but I am really pleased to be recognised as doing a good job. I am very lucky to work with such an amazingly dedicated group of teachers at Salford and it’s been a pleasure to watch them develop into fantastic classroom practitioners. I am also blessed to work with a supportive Senior Leadership Team who have driven SCA and the teaching training programme forwards from strength to strength.’’
The academy’s second Best in Everyone Award went to its Science Department which was named Staff Team of the Year. The department known as ‘Team Science’ has had a highly successful year in which it was placed in the top 20% nationally for high prior attainers taking Triple Science GCSE. The team is really keen to raise the profile of science within the academy and has introduced a vast array of enrichment opportunities including science residentials, university competitions and visits. Science Week, however, is when the team really gets a chance to shine; the week is bursting with science activities and the science corridor is transformed into a vibrant mix of facts, key words and images of scientists. Students are treated to a ‘Fire and Bang’ Show, a science bake-off and a Greater Manchester engineering challenge.
Congratulating Team Science, Melanie Haselden, Principal at Salford City Academy, said:
“Team Science are ambitious, generous and aspirational for all. They consistently model the values of Salford City Academy and United Learning and, in turn, students relish their science lessons and are making excellent progress. I am very proud of their collective efforts and the vital contribution they have made in transforming the academy into the positive aspirational learning community it is today.”
Speaking on behalf of Team Science, Yvette Millin, Second in Charge of Science at SCA, said:
"We are honoured to have won such a prestigious award. As a team we have worked very hard together to deliver a high-quality United Learning curriculum to our pupils and we are very proud of what they have achieved, especially given these difficult circumstances. We have tried to enrich their curriculum as much as possible and we wouldn't have been able to provide as much as we have, without every single member of our wonderful team. They have truly gone above and beyond this year. So, thank you and we are exceptionally proud and hope to continue to contribute to Salford City Academy and United Learning in a positive way this year."
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s awards ceremony took place virtually rather than as part of a live event. The winners were therefore announced via a special video on Twitter. Schools across the country, as well as family members and friends, were then able to share these moving and engaging videos, and join together in celebrating the winners from home.