Sing their praises at schools assembly

30/04/2008

SCHOOLS, teachers and education support staff across the region are to be presented with awards at a gala event celebrating their dedication.

Now in its second year, the North East School Awards, put together by The Journal and our sister paper on Teesside, The Evening Gazette, will showcase the achievements of performers who have made a difference to our children’s education.

Today, we can reveal the shortlist of those who could win up to £1,000 to go towards improvements and equipment for their school.

Primary and secondary schools will be highlighted at the event on May 14, at the Centre For Life in Newcastle, for taking that extra step throughout the past year to help pupils achieve.

Individual teachers and other members of staff who have become an inspiration for hundreds of youngsters will also be praised.

There are awards for those schools which work untiringly with their community and for green-fingered initiatives to help children understand and improve their environment.

There will be awards for those schools which encourage healthy eating and lifestyle and awards for the best school newspapers.

There are special awards for those who work behind the scenes for their hard work and dedication in keeping the school running.

The School of the Year Award will also be presented during the ceremony – it went last year to Hurworth School Maths and Computing College in Darlington.

Teacher of the Year last year was Sarah Barningham of Cestria Primary School, Chester-le-Street, County Durham.

Journal editor Brian Aitken said: “Last year was the first school awards, which was a really magnificent occasion.

“The Journal is proud to run many, many awards but the school awards are very special and something of which we are particularly proud.

“It made us think that this is something that we should have started earlier.”

The lunch-time ceremony, sponsored by Northumbria Water, will also see individual awards sponsored by industrial giant SembCorp Utilities UK, Sunderland University, JR Holland Food Services and waste management team Sita.

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