Wolverhampton Grammar School – TES INDEPENDENT SCHOOL AWARD WINNERS
28 Feb 2018
Wolverhampton Grammar School has won ‘Senior leadership team of the year’ at the prestigious Tes Independent School Awards 2018.
Few things play a bigger part in a school’s success than its staff, and Wolverhampton Grammar School’s wide range of initiatives to improve staff development and opportunities are truly impressive.
Projects include a fund to support postgraduate training, research grants for teachers and a review of staff engagement in all strategic planning, as well as new CPD opportunities to help early career development, and media and external relations training.
Comments in the latest staff survey demonstrate how this has paid off: “When you have a young family and spend most of your time at work, it’s important to enjoy coming into work, find your role rewarding and see you can make a difference”; “this is the best school I have ever worked in”; and “the environment we work in is first rate and I believe the senior team will take the school to even greater heights”.
This was just one area where Wolverhampton showed TES judges it could meet the criteria of “demonstrating excellence in strategy and direction”. Low student fees, an excellent ISI inspection report, the depth of community outreach and the achievement of pupils all confirmed this senior leadership team as a worthy winner.
Kathy Crewe-Read, Head of Wolverhampton Grammar School comments “The work of a great School has been recognised by TES. To be selected as the best of the best by our peers and industry experts is a great testament to the hard work and commitment of every member of our community.”
Philip Sims, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Wolverhampton Grammar School added “For me, there is an undoubted link between being judged “excellent” in all categories of the School’s activities by the Independent Schools Inspectorate last year and our Senior Management Team being recognised as the best team nationally by the Times Educational Supplement this year. Our Head and her team illustrate outstanding leadership every day, ensuring that we provide the very best education for all our Students.”
The TES judges said: “This was a category with a number of really creative strategic initiatives from a wide variety of schools in different contexts. The judges chose Wolverhampton Grammar School because it was clear that a closely knit team was addressing with real care many aspects of school life which directly impacted on the experience of teachers.
“The personal, and apparently voluntary, testimonials from staff about their love of working in the school were also significant in the judges’ choice.”
Winners attended a black-tie event at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, hosted by author, broadcaster, actor and entertainer Gyles Brandreth, where more than 400 attendees celebrated all that is outstanding in independent schools.
This year’s categories and winners are as follows (full details of the winners can be viewed here):
Independent school of the year: Latymer Upper School
Senior leadership team of the year: Wolverhampton Grammar School
Marketing campaign of the year: Loughborough Grammar School
International school of the year: Prince of Wales Island International School – Penang, Malaysia
Boarding school of the year: Wellington College
Best use of technology award: Caterham School
Special services to independent education award: Peter Bellenger, Brighton College
Pre-prep/prep school of the year: Clifton School and Nursery
Senior school of the year: Latymer Upper School
Whole-school community initiative of the year: Bolton School
Independent-state school partnership award: Latymer Upper School
Special needs initiative of the year: Wilds Lodge School
Wellbeing initiative of the year: The Holmewood School
Creativity award: Surbiton High School
Strategic education initiative of the year: St Faith’s
Financial/fundraising initiative of the year: King Edward VI High School for Girls