Lanchester EP school has recently reached the finals for two national awards for excellence. In the first, run by the Times Educational Supplement (the TES) the voluntary controlled church school has secured a place amongst the final eight schools across the UK in the category ‘The Primary School of the Year’. For the second award run by Pearson Education, the EP school has been awarded Silver for the ‘Making a Difference - Primary School of the Year’ award. Each year only three to five schools achieve this silver award, and this is the first time in five years that a primary school in the North East has got this far. They are one of only 6 schools nationally to have been awarded Silver.
Headteacher Jane Davis and a party of staff and governors from the school will be heading to London on Friday 19th June to attend and awards ceremony run by the TES, where they will find out who the overall winner is in the ‘Primary School of the Year’ category.
Jane Davis will also be heading to London again next month to attend a silver winners’ celebratory afternoon tea run by Pearson Education. There will also be a further award ceremony in London in November where a gold winner will be picked from the silver winners.
The school was nominated for these awards by parents of children who attend the school. For both awards representatives from the awarding bodies spoke at length with senior staff, parents and pupils about life at the EP school, via Zoom and in the case of the Pearson award representatives came to visit the school back in April to see for themselves what an excellent job the school is doing in enabling all pupils to flourish.
Lanchester EP School’s vision is: ‘A Caring Community Where All Can Flourish. Children are encouraged to reflect inwards, outwards and upwards: understanding themselves, their role in their community, their relationship with God and how they can contribute positively to the world. This aligns with the school’s biblical foundation in Luke Chapter 8, helping children grow deep roots in rich soil so they can thrive.
The judging bodies looked at the school’s holistic approach to enabling all children to flourish. Children from Nursery upwards enjoy frequent trips and subject specific visitors, and from Year 3 all pupils can access residential stays in a variety of settings. What sets Lanchester EP school apart, is its extraordinary ambition to open the world to its children and broaden their horizons. Every year staff work tirelessly to secure full funding to take pupils on international visits across Europe, the Middle East and Far East. In recent years, pupils from the EP school have visited other schools in countries as far away as India, UAE, Canda and Spain. The committed staff team also provide 20+ after school clubs for their pupils designed to cultivate new interests and experiences. Disadvantaged and SEND pupils take up many places on clubs and on trips, removing barriers and transforming life chances; with priority access for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The community in Lanchester is very much at the heart of the EP school. The school is linked to All Saints Parish church. Rev Lesley Sutherland the local vicar visits every week and regular services are held for the children at the school and in the church. Last week seven children from Year 5 were confirmed by Bishop Frank. Every year children fundraise for local charities e.g., Henry Dancer Days and Willowburn Hospice. They perform in local hospices and for community groups, and last year the school hosted the area’s first Royal Shakespeare Company performance. Public performances with the Royal Opera Company and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment in recent years have also brought world class cultural experiences to a former industrial area, raising aspirations and giving back to the community.
Headteacher Jane Davis said: ‘I am humbled and honoured that our school has been nominated for these prestigious awards. The fact that we have done so well is a testament to the extraordinary commitment and hard work put in by all staff and our governing body. Our motivation is and will always be enabling all our children to flourish.’