The best in UK STEM teaching has been put in the spotlight as the winners for the ENTHUSE Celebration Awards have been announced, highlighting the work and achievements of teachers and schools who have gone the extra mile to inspire their students.
The winning teachers and technicians were announced at an online awards celebration hosted by Dallas Campbell (The Gadget Show and Bang Goes The Theory) at 4pm on 10 December 2020 - don't worry if you missed it, you can watch it again on our YouTube channel here.
Now a long running annual event, the ENTHUSE Celebration Awards recognise the best in science, technology, engineering and mathematics teaching from across the UK.
STEM Learning’s Chief Executive Yvonne Baker, said: “These Awards are a timely reminder of just how instrumental teachers are to our young people’s future, and the future for us all. Each of our winners – and everyone who was nominated – is making a real difference to their pupils, their colleagues and their communities. They are improving lives on a daily basis by sharing their knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for STEM. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for their commitment and hard work.”
The ENTHUSE awards are open to everyone who has undertaken professional development at STEM Learning’s National STEM Learning Centre or through its network of Science Learning Partnerships. This includes both online and remote CPD during lockdown, and CPD with one of its partners in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Meet the 2020 ENTHUSE Celebration Award winners
Below is a bit more information about each of our 2020 winners
Excellence in STEM Teaching for Primary, sponsored by the Primary Science Teaching Trust.
Kate Penarski from St Bede Primary Academy, Bolton
Kate has created a strong culture of STEM engagement throughout her Multi-Academy Trust, showing boundless enthusiasm for science subjects. She has built links with museums, with STEM Ambassadors, and with NASA, all benefiting all of the primary schools she works with. The judges commented that it was “a pleasure to hear about the great work Kate is doing to promote STEM, though we don’t know where she finds the time to do all of this.”
ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM Teaching – Secondary
Jayne Hamilton from Bannockburn High School, Stirling.
Jayne’s work is an excellent example of how to create an integrated approach to STEM careers across a whole school. She has run school wide events and undertaken a number of placements with local industry, all enabling her to bring real world experiences into the classroom. Alongside all this she has helped fellow staff to develop, running new courses on subjects such as rural skills and lab skills. Jayne has made STEM a whole school focus and has been a fantastic champion of STEM careers throughout.
ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM teaching – Post 16
Stephen Mariadas from Exeter College in Devon
Seeing the careers challenges faced by many of his students in the South West, Stephen has developed an incredibly comprehensive set of resources and support for young people wanting to pursue a career in data analysis or computing. To achieve this he has worked in collaboration with all phases of education and with local employers too. He has supported his colleagues, running CPD with the Ted Wragg Trust Enthuse Partnership. A very well deserved winner.
ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM – School & College technicians and support staff
Angie Ridout, Dagenham Park Church of England School, Dagenham
Angie is an exceptionally experienced technician, who has run STEM clubs for both secondary and primary students. She has developed a number of schemes of work which have been used by 80 other UK schools, and she’s got more materials in development. She has been a real ambassador for STEM clubs, presenting to other technicians all over the country, as well as abroad. Angie is a brilliant example of an inspirational STEM Club leader.
ENTHUSE Award for School & College Leadership in STEM
Mick McCarthy, from King Edward VI Handsworth School for Girls, in the West Midlands
Mick is the head of department for D&T at the school and has effectively taken the department from no students taking D&T at GCSE to having now 31 students at GCSE in just two years, and some of those have gone on to study it at A level too. That’s a fantastic achievement. In his own words they “needed to make D&T exciting again”.
bp award for outstanding contribution to developing science capital and social mobility
Sarah Eames, Sandfield Close Primary School, Leicester
Sarah and the team at Sandfield Close have worked across the curriculum to engage pupils and get them thinking scientifically. They have used initiatives like Science Week and STEM Ambassadors to create a real buzz in the school and to get parents involved too. This has continued throughout 2020 with video lessons and STEM actives set for home learning. Engaging in CPD has been a real benefit, giving Sarah and other staff at the school confidence to deliver better STEM teaching.
ENTHUSE Partnership of the Year
The MK D&T ENTHUSE Partnership, based in Milton Keynes.
This partnership has been a remarkable example of how schools working together can help a subject really thrive, especially one which is often undervalued like Design and Technology. From the ‘coffee and cake’ networking events, to a yearly D&T conference they have boosted the confidence and skills of their teachers. So I was keen to meet Paul Tillman and Laura Lazenby to find out how this partnership came about.
The following entries were also awarded as highly commended by our panel of judges:
- Stacey Wheeler, Mounts Bay Academy: ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM – School & College technicians and support staff
- Rachel Bailey, The Orme Academy: ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM – School & College technicians and support staff
- Kerry Earl Prudhoe, Community High School: ENTHUSE Award for Excellence in STEM Teaching – Secondary
- Matt Shaw, Abbey Grange CE Academy: ENTHUSE Award for School & College Leadership in STEM
- Susanna Falcon and Laura Deacon, Chiltern County Primary School/Vertex Partnership: ENTHUSE Partnership of the Year
- Sarah Entwistle, Settle CE Primary School Primary: Science Teaching Trust Award for Excellence in STEM teaching – Primary
Congratulations to all of our winners!