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For the competition, pupils debated the motion Farming can become carbon neutral in the future. In front of a panel of judges, students delivered an evidence-based response factoring in the scale of challenges facing the agriculture industry. Laurus Ryecroft beat four other schools on the award shortlist.
Located in Tameside, Greater Manchester, Laurus Ryecroft is a secondary free schools that opened in 2018. It is one of four free schools supported by the Laurus Trust.
Involving running, cycling and a final run, Sarah secured her first place and gold in the 50-54 British Age-Group in what was probably her best race ever and only her second international appearance, improving greatly from sixth place position previously in the European Champs last year in Punta Umbria.
Said Sarah: “I couldn't have hoped for a better race and with a year of injuries, no one could be more surprised than me, especially with the first run, a personal best of 19.20 for 5.1 km.
Opening as a new school in the middle of the pandemic has been a challenging but incredibly rewarding time. We opened in September 2020 with Nursery and Reception, and this year have our first Year 1 class. Following huge demand from the local community for us to open other year groups, we will have Years 2 and 3 opening in September 2022.
New Schools Network would like to extend our congratulations to Trinity Sixth Form Academy for receiving an 'Outstanding' Ofsted grade under the new inspection framework. The recent report marks a remarkable school turnaround for the school which opened in 2013 as The Maltings College and subsequently became part of the Trinity Multi-Academy Trust. The last time the school was inspected in 2018 it received a 'Requires Improvement' classification.
The prize came about because Sixth Form Geography students led by Head of Geography Mr. Smith wanted to improve traffic flow around Pinner High School. Mr. Smith explained “If we can get more students on bikes and out of their cars it improves the air quality around the school, and reduces congestion which makes the journey to school safer.
Why did you get involved as a trustee?
Academy Ambassadors came to speak to the MIN (Multicultural and Inclusion Network) at Vodafone about why it was important for individuals in corporate settings to get involved with education. This conversation tugged at my heart strings as I knew there was more I could be doing. I asked myself, Adanna – what have you got in your hands and how could you contribute?
Why did you become a trustee?
Education wasn’t an area I had any previous involvement with. I thought it would be quite fascinating area to get stuck in with and the setup of Academy Ambassadors was interesting. I had a chat with a Regional Advisor from the Programme, and they matched me with an academy trust that fit what I was looking for. I wanted to become a trustee to widen my portfolio. Alongside other roles I have, it’s helped me to understand things like environmental, social and corporate governance better; school curriculums; and delegation of duties.
What is the purpose of an academy trust board?
A trust board primarily has a statutory purpose, as it is a requirement for an academy trust to have an independent body charged with the oversight of the trust’s governance, finance and operations. The duties are very similar to that of a board of directors and many trustees will also have been directors of private companies so will be familiar with the kind of responsibility that it entails.