Welsh Educators Honoured with Awards Ceremony

On Friday 20th June 2014 recruitment and training specialists New Directions Education celebrated their annual Inspirational Teaching Awards in in Cardiff.

The event, held at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff was hosted by BBC pundit and broadcaster Phil Steele and honoured ten individuals in a series of categories. Over 280 professionals from throughout the education community across Wales gathered to toast colleagues.

Speaking about the event, Gary Williams from New Directions said ‘What a wonderful evening. To bring colleagues from across Wales together to recognise truly unique individuals was quite inspirational. We see the fantastic work carried out in our schools and colleges on a daily basis. To be able to host an evening like this, full of celebration and real achievement is an absolute honour’.

Guests enjoyed a three-course Welsh themed dinner and were treated to a performance from Cardiff based Kitchener Road Primary School Choir. Attendees were also addressed by Gary Williams of New Directions Education and Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) president, Maria Rimmer (pictured).

Maria addressed guests with a very positive message about the education sector in Wales, telling them ‘Our community is about so much more than statistics, we are all in this for the same thing – the development of the future of all of our children throughout this county. Everyone here is in mutual pursuit of excellence in our different communities. We all want success for every learner in everything they do’.

The Inspirational Teaching Awards are open to all schools and colleges across Wales. This year there were over 200 nominations received by the New Directions team.

Winner of the SEN Headteacher category Carol Edwards from Ysgol Tir Morfa in Rhyl commented on her award ‘I am delighted to accept this award, but I do so on behalf of all of my colleagues. This is quite amazing; I am filled with joy, as I am sure colleagues will be – we are nothing without our team’.

The winners of this year’s awards also included:

Secondary Head Teacher – Heather Nicholas, Ferndale Community School

Primary Head Teacher – John Healy, St David’s RC Primary School

SEN Head Teacher – Carol Edwards, Ysgol Tir Morfa

Ancillary Staff Member – Jean Shafto, Cogan Nursery School

Classroom Assistant – Sarah Pugh, Abercynon Community Primary School

Supply Teacher – Lesley Curtis

Supply Classroom Assistant – Claire Fender

Secondary Teacher – Arthur Gwynn, St Joseph’s Catholic and Sixth Form Centre, Port Talbot

Primary Teacher – Gareth Lloyd James, Ysgol Gymraeg Aberystwyth

SEN Teacher – Peter Walford, The Court School

The awards were sponsored by businesses across Wales who were delighted to be part of the celebrations. Sponsors included Lloyds Bank, New Directions Holdings, National Association of Head Teachers Cymru, Ashfords, Sabre Computers, Cardiff Bay Office Furniture, Teacher Support, Colorfoto, Thomas Carroll, Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, DWA Accountants, Hawked Bespoke Outfitters and Allens Printers.