A BBC TV presenter paid tribute to teachers throughout Cheshire for helping pupils come to terms with recent tragic events such as the terror attacks in Manchester and London.
Dianne Oxberry, familiar to millions of TV viewers as the weather presenter on BBC North West Tonight, was speaking at the third Trinity Mirror Cheshire Schools Awards ceremony, sponsored by Excell Supply Limited, held at The Queen Hotel in Chester on Wednesday (June 28).
She said: “Teachers have had an increased role in safeguarding children and protecting them from the news of such tragedies, getting their reactions and helping them to cope.
“The role of teachers is really developing all the time and today we are here to celebrate what you have done.”
Dianne hosted the ceremony for the third time at what has become a major celebration of the hard work, dedication and achievements of schools throughout the county, the children who attend them and especially the staff who inspire them.
In his opening address, Trinity Mirror Cheshire weeklies executive editor Michael Green said: “In previous years, I have described education as being used as a political football by successive governments and I think it is fair to say that situation has not changed as we reach the half way point of 2017.
“Amid the chaos which can be caused by such political whims, it is headteachers, teachers and their support staff who have to try to make sure the focus remains on the most important people of all – the children who are making their way through the education system in the hope of improving their prospects for the future.”
Dianne then took everyone through each award in turn, with the winners invited to the stage to collect their trophies, many of them accompanied by children from the winning schools who attended the event.
The TV presenter concluded the ceremony by once again paying tribute to the exceptional work carried out by everyone who entered this year’s awards before announcing the final prize of the night: the winner of the general knowledge quiz who was Harrison Dunn of Leighton Academy who went home clutching a bag full of sweets!
FULL LIST OF WINNERS
School Achievement Award:
Winner: Eaton Bank Academy
Runners-up: Saughall All Saints; Sandbach High School
Best School Newspaper or Website:
Winner: Frodsham School News, Frodsham CE Primary School
Runners-up: Congleton High School website; The Blazer, The King’s Junior School
School Support Staff of the Year:
Winner: Vanessa Stockton, St Clare’s Catholic Primary School
Runners-up: Julie Capewell, Westlea Primary School in Upton; Mel Plant, The Grange at Hartford; Kerry Prendergast, St Werburgh’;s and St Columba’s, Hoole
Active Community Award:
Winner: Helsby High School
Runners-up: Frodsham Manor House Primary School; Eaton Bank Academy, Congleton
Inspirational Teacher of the Year:
Winner: Greg De Souza, Congleton High School
Runners-up: Fiona Weston, Neston High School; Shane Richardson, Queen’s Park High School, Handbridge
Primary School Head Teacher of the Year:
Winner: Kathryn Oates, St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s, Hoole
Runners-up: Rob Golding, Neston Primary School; Gill Barker, Lostock Gralam CE Primary School
Secondary School Head Teacher of the Year, sponsored by NCS:
Winner: Lyndsay Watterson, Queens Park High School, Handbridge
Runners-up: John Murray, Chester Catholic High School; Julie Brandreth, The County High School, Leftwich
Primary School of the Year, sponsored by Excell Supply:
Winner: Meadow Community Primary, Great Sutton
Runners-up: Leighton Academy, Crewe; St Werburgh’s and St Columba’s, Hoole
Secondary School of the Year, sponsored by Excell Supply:
Winner: Sandbach High School
Runners-up: Alsager School; Chester Catholic High School