Recognising Education Contributions in the North East

Trinity College has helped celebrate students, teachers and school leaders from across the North East of England who have received national recognition for making stand-out contributions to their communities.

Outstanding students and school leaders were awarded prestigious Lord Glenamara Memorial prizes for success and contributions to their communities, including an Excellence in English award sponsored by Trinity College. This year, the awards were focused on those who have made a significant contribution during the pandemic, from helping the elderly during isolation through to ensuring those who weren’t able to be with their families could experience a positive Christmas. 

Introduced by the Department for Education in 2012, in memory of former Education Secretary and Newcastle MP Ted Short, the Lord Glenamara prize allows top talent from across the North East to take centre stage, recognising those achieving academic excellence whilst also making a profound difference to their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic. Schools Minister Baroness Berridge presented the awards at the virtual prize giving ceremony, with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson appearing via video message to celebrate this year’s winners and congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.

Richard Petty, Trinity’s Teacher Engagement and Access Officer for the North-East, presented the award for Excellence in English to the Sedgefield Community College English Department. He said: ‘The English Department at Sedgefield Community College has impressed us in particular with their championing of the students, the high standards that they set for them and encourage learners to set for themselves; and in terms of outcomes, and extraordinary profile of results as evidenced by Progress 8 scores and the number of students achieving an outstanding grade in English Language or English Literature.

‘This has a huge and demonstrable impact on the life chances of learners at the school, and we think that approaches which, for instance, emphasise literacy as a whole-school responsibility and promote a focus on it are something that we can all learn from.’