Ted Wragg Trust celebrates Exeter students and staff at awards

05 Nov 2024, 10:43 by Lewis Clarke · DevonLive

Staff and students from Ted Wragg Trust schools across Exeter have celebrated their achievements at a glitzy ceremony.

The Ted Wragg Awards held on Thursday, October 17, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Plymouth recognised students, staff from volunteers from schools communities across the Trust.

Families, staff, students, trustees and guests all came along to the celebratory evening which kicked off with an performance by the Lipson Co-operative Band, followed by an emotional rendition of ‘A Million Dreams’ from The Greatest Showman by students and staff across the trust as part of the Ted Wragg Choir, some of whom had never performed in front of an audience before.

The Ted Wragg Trust CEO Moira Marder welcomed everyone to the event and spoke about how proud she was of the students who embody the trust’s values of ambition, collaboration and selflessness. She also thanked staff for their hard work and creativity which inspires students on a daily basis. She concluded that education needs to evolve to meet the needs of a new generation and that the sector must continue to push boundaries and encouraged attendees to be optimistic about the future and all that can be achieved.

The evening was made possible thanks to a whole host of sponsors, from local businesses to education organisations. Every award category had a different sponsor and the Ted Wragg Trust are extremely grateful to Exeter College, Coreus, Sam Hatton Brown Creative, Modern Schools Exeter, the Pinnacle Group, Steplab, Teaching Personnel, Sparx, PHP Law, City College Plymouth and Plymouth City Bus for their support.

Winners from Exeter schools included Kirstin Williams from Whipton Barton Federation who picked up Inspirational Leader Awards. As the SENDCo at Whipton Barton, Kirstin advocates for families and promotes a culture of empathy, she empowers students to thrive and contribute their unique talents.

Co-Professional of the Year Awards went to Sarah Pett from St James and Andrea Kew from ISCA. Sarah is relentless in her pursuit of social justice at St James. She has secured thousands of pounds for vulnerable families and played a key role in establishing the St James hardship fund, making it accessible for those in need.

Andrea is relentless in her commitment to improving student attendance, her calm demeanour and focused approach create a supportive environment, where her kindness and patience shine in every interaction with students.

The Student Community Leadership Award was collected by St Luke’s Student Mental Health Ambassadors, who have been instrumental in creating positive change within the school’s student support services. Their unwavering dedication to the wellbeing of others is truly inspiring. Always ready to offer a listening ear and guidance, they have made a profound impact on the students they support, providing a safe and welcoming space for those in need.

Clara Kerslake from West Exe School and Keira Wills from Exwick Heights both received Student of the Year Awards. Clara was diagnosed with Perthes Disease at just seven years old and has faced significant challenges, spending much of her childhood in a wheelchair or on crutches as she awaited the healing of her femur. Despite these obstacles, Clara has truly blossomed. On the 12th May 2024, she and her teammates completed an impressive 35 miles across the challenging terrain of Dartmoor, demonstrating remarkable resilience.

Keira has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and determination throughout her first year of Key Stage 2, managing her significant visual impairment in a lively mainstream classroom with remarkable grace. Keira has worked hard to cultivate her independence, striking a balance between supervision and self-advocacy.

A Teacher of the Year Award was handed out by one of Ted Wragg’s children to Charley Gwilt from Exwick Heights. As the Maths lead at Exwick Heights, Charley has championed change to enhance the quality of maths lessons and developed exceptional maths booklets for KS2 that could stand proudly in any school.

Unsung Hero Awards went to Vicky Evans at Queen Elizabeth’s School and Helen Surgeon from Matford Brook Academy (MBA.) As Head of Drama and Sixth Form at QE, Vicky is an exemplary role model, dedicated to providing exceptional theatrical experiences for every student. For 18 years, she has gone above and beyond, committing hundreds of hours to choreographing, directing, and producing unforgettable shows.

Helen, the School Business Operations Lead at MBA she has embraced responsibilities that extend far beyond her typical duties. Her compassionate first aid, weekly lunches with students with SEND, and involvement in the key adult team reflect her commitment to student wellbeing.

Those in attendance were treated to a full three course meal and further performances from the Ted Wragg Choir, including one of ‘Unwritten’, which had the whole audience clapping along to the beat as they sang about writing their own stories.

The Ted Wragg Choir is sponsored by the Coreus Group and the Ted Wragg Trust would like to be able to extend the wonderful opportunity to be part of the choir to children outside their trust across Exeter and Plymouth and surrounding areas. They have set up a charity, the South West Opportunity Fund (SWOF) to help achieve this. SWOF will also look to support improved educational outcomes and life chances for children and young people across the South West through work which supports lives of choice and opportunity.

Moira Marder, CEO of the Ted Wragg Trust said: “Thank you to everyone who made our second annual Ted Wragg Awards ceremony such a success. The evening was a brilliant opportunity to celebrate the incredible impact our students, staff and volunteers have across our family of schools and was also a chance to honour those who go above and beyond in making our central mission of making the world a better place a reality.

“I also want to say how grateful I am to all our sponsors, who made it possible. The award ceremony would not happen without the kind support from our sponsors and everyone at the Ted Wragg Trust hugely appreciates how local businesses and education organisations have come together to allow us to hold such an amazing event.”