Silver Award For Catering Team In National Scheme To Reward Teaching!

Image caption: The NWSLC catering team holding their award.

Selected from thousands of nominations, the Hospitality and Catering team at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College is one of just 68 Silver Award winners across the country who will be celebrated as part of ‘Thank A Teacher Day’ on 19 June 2019.

The Hospitality and Catering team was presented with a prestigious Pearson Silver Teaching Award trophy by Professor Ray Linforth, OBE, Chair of the North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College Corporation.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards, now in its 21st year, is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of young people, many of whom go on to train as teachers themselves thanks to the significant impact their teachers have made on them.

The Hospitality and Catering team at the College now joins a shortlist to compete for one of just 13 Gold awards at the UK’s ‘Oscars for Teachers’. They will join fellow Silver Award winners at a glittering event due to be held at the Roundhouse in London on 20 October 2019. The ceremony is due to be broadcast on BBC2 on 27 October to showcase excellence in education from across the UK.

Previous award presenters at the event have included former Prime Ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, stars of stage and screen including Jenny Agutter, Alison Steadman and Sheila Hancock, as well as sports and TV personalities such as Shirley Ballas, Helen Glover, Brendan Cole and Nadiya Hussain.

Marion Plant, OBE, FCGI, Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College said, “I am immensely proud of the team for this achievement because they consistently go the extra mile to support their students and they are absolutely committed to enabling them to achieve the very best.”

Andrew Bennett, Chair of Craft Guild of Chefs said, “I have worked with the Catering team in many competitions and they have always been consistent. They are very thorough and always give 110% to whatever they do; there are no half measures. They never enter a competition unless they are really going to try and win. I wish them the best of luck for the final of the Pearson teaching awards.”

Andy Daniels, Culinary Brand Specialist, Welbilt UK said, “Last year the team competed well in the UK Young Restaurant Team of the Year and were able to take on board the judges’ critique going on to win the competition. Acting on feedback is a useful skill in a demanding industry that requires businesses to stay ahead of trend curves. Students at the College are supported to adopt a level-headed, flexible mindset as well as excellent technical culinary skills, so they really are industry-ready when they qualify.”

Today, on ‘Thank A Teacher Day’, and throughout this week, the Teaching Awards Trust is asking people up and down the country to say ‘thank you’ to a teacher who has made a significant difference in their lives. The Thank A Teacher campaign allows members of the public to send teachers a card in the post for free, by completing an online form and including a personal message. It takes two minutes but has a lasting impact on those exceptional teachers who receive them.

Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and former Children’s Laureate, now President of the Teaching Awards Trust, said, “So often and for so many of us, it is a teacher who changed our lives, was at our side through hard and difficult times, who lifted us up when we were down, helped us find our voice, gave us confidence when we needed it most, set us on a path that we have followed ever since. At my school, I had a French teacher, who might not have made a linguist of me, but was always kind to me. He loved his subject and passed that on. I still love French, the language, the people, the literature, but even he could not persuade me to learn my French grammar.”

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: “Congratulations to all of our Silver Award winners being presented with a trophy today. Recognising and celebrating teachers for the lasting impact they have on young people’s lives is crucial, and that’s why Pearson is delighted to support these awards every year.”