JUNCTION Farm Primary and Egglescliffe Secondary School in Stockton Borough have been granted National Teaching School status.
Teaching Schools take a leading role in recruiting and training new entrants to the profession, identifying leadership potential and providing support for other schools by exemplifying excellent standards of teaching.
Introduced in 2011, Teaching Schools are all rated by Ofsted as “outstanding”. They work with partner schools in an alliance to ensure high quality school-led initial teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers at all stages of their career.
Junction Farm Primary and Egglescliffe Secondary School are among 52 schools in England to be granted the prestigious status in the latest selection round.
The schools will work to raise standards by supporting other schools, engage in research and development, and ensure that the most talented school leaders are recognised and supported to become successful headteachers.
Councillor Ann McCoy, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “This is an excellent achievement for our schools, teachers and pupils. Through the Teaching Schools Alliance we will be able to support our future teachers but also influence and develop current staff so that our students can have the very best foundations for their futures. What’s more, the initiative will really strengthen links between our primary and secondary schools as well as other schools in the Borough. Congratulations to Junction Farm Primary and Egglescliffe Secondary School for such a prestigious status.”
The National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has responsibility, in partnership with headteachers from the Teaching Schools Council, for the designation and quality of the teaching schools programme.
Charlie Taylor, the Chief Executive of NCTL, said: “Junction Farm Primary and Egglescliffe Secondary School should be very proud of this achievement. These schools have been recognised as a centre of excellence in its area, with an outstanding performance and a track record of raising standards through supporting other schools.
“There are now almost 700 Teaching Schools around the country. They are at the heart of an increasingly school-led system, leading the way in improving the quality of our teachers and helping the schools in their partnership to become even better. Like Teaching Hospitals, they have become centres of excellence across the country, conducting research and training teachers.”
Head of Egglescliffe School, Simon White and Head of Junction Farm Primary, Karen Norton, have also been designated as National Leaders in Education (NLE’s). This role along with their schools being recognised as a National Support School will offer support to other leaders in Education.
The successful schools will be invited to attend a National Teaching School induction event in October.