The Suffolk Education Awards 2023 awards ceremony took place last week, recognising educators and students from across the region. Here we find out more about this year's Apprentice of the Year (award sponsored by Apprenticeships Suffolk) and the winner of the Teaching Assistant or Support Staff of the Year award.
Apprentice of the Year
And the winner is… Nila Esteller
Nila is a business support apprentice in Suffolk County Council’s Apprenticeships Suffolk team. When applying for the role, she knew she had a number of challenges to face including working in an office environment, something unfamiliar to her, and studying maths to achieve a Level 2 qualification, something which had evaded her in the past.
Although initially shy in her role, Nila has demonstrated courage and resilience and has worked to become an integral member of the team. Her biggest achievement to date is taking a lead role in planning the Apprenticeships Suffolk event held at Trinity Park this year, and in March 2023, she achieved her Level 2 Functional Skills qualification in Maths – a testament to her growth and hard work.
“It feels really good to be acknowledged,” commented Nila backstage at the awards evening, “and to be able to share that it’s possible to overcome barriers that you might not ever have thought you would have been able to.”
She added that she is focused on her current role for now but is remaining open-minded about her future after her apprenticeship.
Congratulations to the finalists: Adam Wilson – apprentice greenkeeper, Suffolk New College and Barnham Broom Hotel and Country Club; Jane Thorp – apprentice electrician, Suffolk Rural College and Fellowes Electrical; and Rhys Mower – engineering apprentice, West Suffolk College and Optimise Heat and Steam.
Teaching Assistant or Support Staff of the Year
And the winner is… Charlotte Richardson
Charlotte has a dual role at The Beeches Community Primary School in Ipswich. She supports speech and language development in early years classes and is also the family and communities lead.
As speech and language lead, Charlotte uses a wide range of evidence-based approaches to quickly assess and address their developmental needs, helping those with early language delays to catch up with their peers.
Charlotte has also been there to help families navigate discreetly through a range of challenges. She has created a project supporting families to extend the range of meals they are comfortable cooking and a five-week drop-in workshop where parents and carers can gain confidence in reading to their children. She also runs holiday clubs and is a constant source of new ideas and projects.
Charlotte said that being named Teaching Assistant or Support Staff of the Year is “huge actually, because we all do so much in school and I think sometimes you get really dragged down with all the rubbish, but it’s things like this that make you think ‘oh, it is worth it’ and it’s great.”
She added: “We are in a very deprived area and want to turn it on its head, so that the children aspire to be better and do more. It can be different; it doesn’t have to be how it’s always been.”
Congratulations to the finalists: Gaynor Marsh – One Sixth Form and College, Lis Sherriff – Thorndon Primary School, and Bebe Rolfe, Stowupland High School.
To find out more about all of this year's winners, please click here.
For more information and updates on the Suffolk Education Awards 2024, please keep an eye on the website at suffolkeduawards.co.uk
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