MOUNT STREET ACADEMY IS LINCOLNSHIRE’S FIRST TEACHING SCHOOL
News release
28th March 2012
An infant and nursery school in Lincoln has been chosen as the county’s first Teaching School to help raise standards in education.
Mount Street Academy has been awarded Teaching School Status by the National College for School Leadership. It will work with several strategic partners including Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln to take a leading role in staff training and development.
Mount Street Academy is one of only about 100 schools in England to be granted teaching school status in the second wave announced on Monday (26th March) and the only Teaching School in Lincolnshire.
The designation by the National College for School Leadership entitles the school to lead the training and professional development for staff.
Mount Street Academy will work in collaboration with a number of strategic partners which include Bishop Grosseteste University College, CfBT, Lincoln Christ’s Hospital School, St Francis School in Lincoln, Kibworth Primary School in Leicestershire, Monks Abbey Primary School in Lincoln and St Peter in Eastgate School in Lincoln.
Mount Street Academy’s Executive Headteacher Catherine Paine said: “We have been on the edge of our seats since applying in October and are delighted by this honour. We are privileged to be working with a superb range of strategic partners in this exciting venture and I know that our school and our partners have the capacity to rise to the challenge.”
Nigel Appleton, Dean of Teacher Development at BG, added: “We have been working closely together for over a year in preparation for this. It’s exciting to have a Teaching School on the doorstep – the first in Lincolnshire – and we’re really looking forward to making a difference to schools, pupils and teachers together.”
Mrs Paine, who is also Executive Headteacher at Saxilby Church of England Primary School, will now be invited to the National College’s Learning and Conference Centre in Nottingham next month for a formal induction and to meet Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education.
The Teaching Schools initiative began last autumn, marking a shift towards school-centred training and development. The programme gives outstanding schools the freedom and autonomy to lead a group of schools, working with other partners including at least one university, to deliver high-quality support for teachers and leaders at all stages in their career.
The National College has responsibility for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme, working closely with the Department for Education (DfE), as the national network grows to 500 Teaching Schools by 2014.
Steve Munby, Chief Executive of the National College, said: “Teaching schools like Mount Street Academy need to be at the top of their game to take on this role: outstanding in their own performance and with a track record of raising standards through school-to-school support.
“We now have over 200 teaching schools around the country who are in a position to harness the finest teaching talent in the profession to drive school improvement in innovative ways and bring real benefits to pupils and staff. Trainees can learn from the best teachers in action and those who want to move up the career ladder are exposed to excellent practice within and beyond their immediate school.”
Note to editors
Bishop Grosseteste University College Lincoln was established in 1862 and celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2012.
It is an independent higher education institution based in Lincoln and awarding its own degrees at foundation, undergraduate and postgraduate level.
Mount Street Academy is an outstanding school (Ofsted 2010) which offers a high standard of education in a caring and friendly environment where all children are treated equally and feel valued and secure.
Jez Ashberry
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
jez@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @jezashberry
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