School support staff on ‘Oscar’ shortlist

SUPPORT staff at Radclyffe School have been nominated for an education Oscar.

They have been shortlisted for the Support Team of the Year Award at the TESSAs — Times Educational Supplement Schools Awards.

The 80-strong team will be represented at the London ceremony by head teacher’s PA Sue McCannon and Gillian Barker, human resources and general manager.

Launched last year, TESSAs are billed as recognising the teamwork that makes UK schools great, from senior management to catering staff.

A total of 75 schools — from grammars in leafy suburbs to comprehensives in tough inner-city neighbourhoods — have been shorlisted for awards in 15 categories. These include secondary, primary and special school of the year, outstanding community involvement and governors of the year.

The role of support staff at Radclyffe School was transformed following the 2003 national agreement to reduce teachers’ workloads.

It introduced learning managers to cover the classes of absent teachers amid a storm of controversy from teaching unions.

Other initiatives include replacing traditional form classes with “personal learning guides” — support staff who are each responsible for 12 pupils. They hold a 15-minute meeting with a different pupil every morning to discuss how they are getting on. Head teacher Hardial Hayer explained: “They can be anyone from the school secretary to the school business manager and the one-on-one is key to raising achievements and personalising pupils’ learning.

“They never see the pupils as a homogeneous group, they always see them individually and we are delighted at how it’s worked out.

“We are a national example of how schools have moved away from working in 2002-3 to using the whole school team to support our students.

“I do not think the result we have achieved is a coincidence. Everybody feels they are valued, they feel they are part of a team, part of a family. I am delighted that we have not just been nominated for this award, but shortlisted.”

The awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on June 17 will be hosted by actor and comedian Alexander Armstrong from the “Armstrong and Miller Show”.

Michael Shaw, comment editor of the TES, said: “Anyone who claims UK schools are in decline, too uniform or unimaginative would do well to sift through the hundreds of inspirational entries we received.

“What separates the TESSAs from other educational accolades is that they recognise it takes a team to transform a school and give pupils the best education possible.”