Two CofE schools from the East Midlands are celebrating their success as National winners of the second Church School Awards.

Queniborough Church of England Primary School from Leicestershire and the National Church of England Academy in Nottingham have been picked from a pool of 10 regional winners, to be recognised for the significant difference they have made to local and global communities.

The awards were announced at a gala event at Methodist Church House on 28 June, hosted by comedian and presenter, Kirsten O’Brien.

The Church School Awards celebrate the best examples of localcommunity work and global citizenship in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Pupils, staff and parents from the national and regional winners all impressed the judges with their passion for community issues, like the environment, Fairtrade and local fundraising, as well as their active involvement in worldwide initiatives, encouraging respect for different cultures and a sense of justice.

Liam Dowds, Managing Director of Emmaus Recruitment, who established the Church School Awards, said: “We are delighted to congratulate the regional and national winners of this year’s Church School Awards on their amazing work. These schools have demonstrated a real commitment to respecting and supporting other young people around the world as well as in their own local community and have also made a lasting impact on the lives and experiences of their pupils.”

Nicola Sylvester, Head of School Effectiveness and Deputy General Secretary at the National Society, said: “The Church School Awards are a unique way of recognising the work that Church schools can demonstrate their distinctiveness and effectiveness as Christian organisations…

“The awards are an opportunity to illustrate how well through their distinctive, Christian character and values Church schools ensure the development and achievement of the whole child or young person, and meet the needs of all learners. Furthermore, the awards document the impact of Church school provision not just on the school community, but the wider community in which the schools reside.”

Lisa Nolan, Education Development and Improvement Officer at the Methodist Church, said:”We’re really delighted that there are two Methodist schools among those awarded and commended today, especially as the standard has been so high. Our schools often work in the most deprived areas and at the heart of Methodism is a passion for supporting children and families in their communities. We believe that every child has a right to a bright future, with the best possible opportunities, regardless of where they come from.”

Bishop Bridgeman Church of England Primary School from Bolton and St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business and Enterprise in Merseyside have been picked from a pool of 12 regional winners, to be honoured for  the significant difference they have made to local and global communities.

The awards were announced at a gala event at Westminster Cathedral Hall today, hosted by Blue Peter’s Andy Akinwolere.

The Church School Awards celebrate the best examples of local community work and global citizenship in England and Wales.  Pupils, staff and parents from the national and regional winners all impressed the judges with their passion for community issues, like the environment, Fairtrade and local fundraising, as well as their active involvement in worldwide initiatives, encouraging respect for different cultures and a sense of justice.

Schools Minister Lord Hill said:

“I am delighted to congratulate the regional and national winners of the first ever Church Awards on their superb work. These schools have demonstrated their commitment to respecting and supporting other young people around the world as well as in their own local community.

“Church schools make an important contribution to education in this country – not only in achieving good exam results, but also in nurturing young people to become real ambassadors for the ethos of their schools. It is wonderful to be able to celebrate this and see the links they have established in volunteering in local communities, fundraising for countries hit by disaster and building relationships with pupils around the world.”

For more information about the national and regional winners, as well as the awards themselves, please go to www.churchschoolawards.com.

Notes
The awards have been established by Emmaus Recruitment, a Christian recruitment service specialising in supporting Church schools find teaching and leadership staff, along with the support of the Church of England’s National Society, the Catholic Association of Teachers, Schools and Colleges, Methodist Children & Youth, aid and development organisations like CAFOD and Christian Aid, and many other supporters.

The 2011 awards have received support from the following sponsors:
-          Tribune
-          XMA Ltd
-          Redemptorist Publications
-          COS Group
-          Mathletics
-          Dernier Publishing

The two national winners found out about their success during a surprise announcement at the ceremony.

Regional winners were:
North East Primary – St Alban’s Catholic Primary school, Gateshead
North East Secondary – St Aidan’s CE High School, Harrogate

North West Primary – Bishop Bridgeman CE Primary School, Bolton
North West Secondary – St Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business and Enterprise, Merseyside

Midlands & East Anglia Primary – Barwell CE Junior School, Leicester
Midlands & East Anglia Secondary – The Nottingham Emmanuel School

Wales and South West Primary – St Chad’s Patchway CE Primary School, Gloucestershire
Wales and South West Secondary – St Luke’s CE Science and Sports College, Devon

London Primary – St Luke’s CE Primary School, Canning Town
London Secondary – The Ursuline High School, Wimbledon

South East Primary – St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School, Portsmouth
South East Secondary – The Piggott School, Twyford

Specially commended schools were:
St Joseph’s Special School, Cranleigh
Sarum Academy, Salisbury
Salesian School, Chertsey