Warrington Guardian Schools Awards winners 2018

Celebrating the hardworking teachers, students and staff who go the extra mile at schools across the town, we handed out 14 trophies during a glittering ceremony at The Village Hotel to the people we felt are really top of the class. 

Hayley Smith, editor of the Warrington Guardian, said: “What a brilliant evening, celebrating all that is great about our nurseries, schools and colleges in the town.

“It was our third year of organising the Warrington Guardian Schools Awards and was arguably the best yet, with so many deserving winners this year.

"My thanks go to everyone involved in the event and especially those who took the time to write in and nominate someone.

"We had more than 300 worthy nominations this year making it incredibly difficult to choose our winners but we genuinely do appreciate the support of pupils, parents and teachers in helping make the event such a resounding success.”

The event would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors One Energy, Warrington Borough Council, The Classroom Partnership, Warrington Market, Warrington Teaching School Alliance, the University of Chester, UTC Warrington, The Disability Trading Company, Swim, and Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School.

All the winners were invited to a presentation ceremony but judges also decided to give special mention to other worthy teaching staff who were nominated for the awards by naming them as highly commended.

Roll of honour 2018>

Class/Team of the Year sponsored by Warrington Market

Year Five Oakwood Avenue Primary School for their efforts in helping to remember the life of a Warrington war hero.

Special mention to the year 8 rugby team at Beamont Collegiate Academy and class 5 at St Oswald’s Catholic Primary who are both highly commended in this category.

Teaching Assistant of the Year sponsored by Warrington Teaching School Alliance

Dion Kemp could be best described as the Justin Bieber of the primary school world.

Not only a great role model, he is loved by everyone and as well as knowing the names of all 420 pupils at his school and cannot walk down the corridor without being treated like a superstar.

Nicola Shaw, from Sandy Lane Forest School, and Barbara Bedford from Croft Primary School, who were highly commended in this category.

Special Needs Teacher of the Year sponsored by Warrington Borough Council

Simply fabulous and an excellent leader is how our winner Neil Bothwell has been described having merged two sets of staff from two schools into one unified Woolston Sixth Form College.

Our highly commended teachers are Val Howarth, from Fox Wood School and Nicky Gorman from Culcheth Community Primary School.

Community Champions sponsored by the Disability Trading Company Ltd

The first recipients of this award know the true meaning of teamwork.

After learning that Warrington and Halton Hospitals Charity was raising funds for a new outdoor play area for the children’s ward, Ruben and Elena Evans-Guillan embarked on a massive fundraising mission by setting themselves a target of running 100km.

When we created this category, we had no idea how difficult a task it would be for judges to decide on one winner. In fact we couldn’t.

So we also presented a special award to a man who epitomises true community spirit.

Through his passion for rugby league his contribution to developing young people’s social and physical skills has been immense.

Congratulations to Mike McLoughlin, from Beamont Collegiate Academy.

Early Years Award sponsored by Swim

From fighting tooth and nail against the threat of closure two years ago,  Little Browsers Pre-School in Fearnhead has grown in strength and is now thriving thanks to passionate and dedicated staff who care for children like they are their own.

Special mention to The Cheshire Day Nursery Group and last year’s winners Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School who were both highly commended in this category. 

Innovation Award sponsored by UTC Warrington

FabLab Warrington, based at Beamont Collegiate Academy, is the only STEM assured school in the country and is also the only school-based facility open to businesses, education and the public.

Highly commended in this category is Mrs Leighton-Jones from Lymm High School.

Pupil of the Year sponsored by Warrington Borough Council

Currently on the British Elite Performance Pathway, talented gymnast Anjali Khashu somehow manages to cram in an incredible 20-plus hours of training at Warrington Gymnastics Club around her schoolwork each week.

Special mention to Libby O’Halloran from Fox Wood and Balazs Rigo from Beamont, who are highly commended in this category. 

Unsung Hero Award supported by our main sponsor this evening, One Energy

Parents say Brian Warren is an absolute gent and in bad weather even lets the younger children use his feet as stepping stones to avoid muddy puddles.

They added he embodies the spirit of Bruche Primary School and is adored by all.

Highly commended in this category were Ruth Jones from Culcheth Primary and Simon Ratcliffe from Chaigeley School.

Teacher of the Year sponsored by The Classroom Partnership

With almost 60 brilliant teachers nominated in this category alone, it proved an impossible task for judges to decide on one overall winner.

Therefore for the first time we decided to split the category into separate awards for primary and high school teachers.

Our first recipient is a reception class teacher who may be an NQT but has already made his mark on the whole school.

Held in high regard by pupils, parents and his colleagues, he has developed a reputation for creative curriculum ideas and making educating four and five-year-olds seem effortless.

Our primary school teacher of the year is Phil Towey, from Penketh Community Primary School.

Our high school teacher of the year is said to have the ability to control a classroom effortlessly.

Those who nominated her say she is an extraordinarily fabulous teacher who uses a variety of teaching methods to cater for all needs, stretching those of higher ability while not isolating pupils in need of requiring support.

Our high school teacher of the year is Tracy Shorrock, from Bridgewater High School.

Head Teacher of the Year sponsored by the University of Chester

Since taking over in 2009 Amanda Dodd of Culcheth Community Primary School has led the transformation of her primary school so that it is now almost unrecognisable from the school it once was, with almost double the number of pupils and academic performance above the national average.

Annette Norman from St Monica’s Catholic Primary and Beverley Scott-Herron from Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School, who are our highly commended head teachers.

Judges Special Achievement Award sponsored by One Energy

This year’s winner has been an inspiration to hundreds of children, having dedicated 25 years of her life to St Benedict’s Catholic Primary.

A class teacher, school governor, mentor, rugby coach and much more, those who nominated her say she has touched the hearts of so many children over her teaching career, bringing out the best in each and every one of them.

Our Judges Special Achievement Award winner is Veronica Hesketh. 

Special mention also goes to Norman Astbury, a tutor for Warrington Borough Council, and Louise Smith, from Warrington Primary Academy Trust, who were also shortlisted for this award.

School of the Year sponsored by Sir Thomas Boteler Church Of England High School

Judges heard children are given countless opportunities to enjoy the arts and sport.

This is a fun school that is motivated to succeed by strong leadership and passionate teaching staff, whose excitement for new ways of learning is contagious.

More than anything, it is a special school with a sense of community which in turn helps every child achieve.

Congratulations Sacred Heart Primary School.

Our highly commended schools are Chaigeley School, Culcheth Community Primary School and last year’s winners Stockton Heath Primary.

Don't miss next week's Warrington Guardian newspaper for full coverage from the awards and interviews with all our winners.