Thornbury Primary School is the only state school in Devon to be shortlisted in the national TES Awards, a fantastic achievement for all the staff and families at the school.
The prestigious TES Awards involves a rigorous judging process and although it is the first time Thornbury Primary has entered the awards, it has been shortlisted for the Pupil Mental Health Initiative of the Year award.
Headteacher Claire Hardisty said:
”The TES Schools Awards recognises the very best teachers and education providers from UK state and independent schools, including early years settings, primary and secondary.
“This is the first time we’ve ever entered the awards as a school, although as a Trust we have just won the Community Impact Award from the Multi- Academy Trust Association for our Ocean Conservation Curriculum.
“Mental health is at the heart of everything we do at Thornbury Primary. From the way the children come into school every morning to the support we provide to parents, we are all fully committed in building emotional resilience and helping people to learn to support themselves and others.
“To make it easier for children to relate to, we use ‘Animal Aces’ which are embedded into our culture, such as Friendly Otter and Truthful Toad. They often stimulate interesting conversations with the children about the way people behave, and what really matters.
“We’re absolutely delighted that the TES judges have recognised our commitment to wellbeing, which really does reflect the ethos of our school and of Connect Academy Trust.”
The TES awards are among the most highly regarded in the teaching profession, with a long-established reputation for a rigorous judging process. The panel of awards judges include school leaders, experts and education researchers.
TES editor and chief judge of the awards Jon Severs said:
“With these awards we honour the education community, whom we have served for over 112 years. This year has seen some incredibly high-quality entries. So every teacher and school who has been named in this shortlist should be very proud – it’s a fantastic achievement.”
“We are looking forward to showcasing, as we do every year, just how vital our education professionals are to every facet of this country. Teachers, leaders and support staff all play such an important role in schools: this is our chance to say thank you for all that they do.”
The TES Schools Awards winners will be announced on June 23 at a gala ceremony at London’s Grosvenor Park Hotel.
