A TEACHER at an Ashton-under-Lyne school has received national recognition for the significant impact she’s had on developing her pupils’ literacy.
Jade Sells has won the ‘Reading Plus Champion of the Year’ award for Key Stage 2, which she leads at Parochial CE Primary School.
She received a trophy, a certificate and a £25 Amazon voucher for her efforts.
The annual awards are organised by Reading Solutions UK, which houses the online reading development programme Reading Plus, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of pupils, teachers and schools across the country.
“I feel proud to receive the Reading Plus Champion of the Year award, not just for myself but for all the staff at Parochial who also nurture our pupils’ love of reading,” Jade said.
“It is extremely fulfilling to see the hard work of both staff and pupils celebrated by Reading Solutions UK.”
Jade was nominated for the award by the school’s Deputy Head Teacher Jessica Finlay, who was impressed by her dedication.
“Jade’s passion for removing the barriers to reading success in her classroom is evident in her pupils’ progress,” she said.
“She promotes and fosters a love of reading in her classroom which permeates throughout.”
The Keppel Street school, which is part of the Forward As One Multi Academy Trust, also celebrated other successes in the awards.
Ten-year-old pupil David Okwuaraba came second place in ‘Most Words Read by a Pupil (KS2)’ after reading over 600,000 words on the programme.
David said: “I didn’t have any idea that I would be nominated for a Reading Plus award. I feel happy, proud and excited about being a runner-up.”
Parochial was also shortlisted in the Reading Plus School of the Year (KS2) award, which recognises the whole school’s efforts and culture in improving children’s literacy skills.
“We take immense pride in having our school’s achievements acknowledged,” Mrs Finlay commented.
“It serves as a testament to the commitment of all our teachers to strive for reading excellence.”
Clair Freeman, who is a Reading Development Consultant at Reading Solutions UK, said the “effect of great teaching is clearly evident” at Parochial.
She added: “Jade has gone above and beyond for her pupils. Alongside aiding her pupils, like David, to excel, Jade also helps other teachers do the same. She leads training sessions and encourages her colleagues to promote the use of Reading Plus.”