Exciting news from the Laidlaw Schools Trust!

If you remember from the Global Induction Session, Susanna mentioned that some exciting new will be coming through about the Laidlaw Schools Trust, the multi-academy trust sponsored by the Laidlaw Foundation!

Well, this is it! - Sedgefield Hardwick Primary Academy has been recognised by T4 Education’s World’s Best School Prizes  as one of the top ten most innovative schools globally - the only school in the UK to be shortlisted in this category.

The World’s Best School Prize for innovation was launched by T4 Education to celebrate schools that make a difference. Sedgefield Hardwick, rated by Ofsted as outstanding, was shortlisted in the top ten from thousands of global entries, and could be in line for a prize of $50,000.

Headteacher Paul Taylor said:

As part of Laidlaw Schools Trust, innovation is at the heart of everything we do.  An innovative approach to education nurtures a culture of curiosity, exploration, and problem-solving, equipping children with essential skills for their personal, academic, and professional growth.

Sally Newton, co-CEO of Laidlaw Schools Trust and former head of Sedgefield Hardwick, who spoke at the Global Induction Session about the mentoring opportunity with the Trust, added:

Combining strong character education with the latest technology has transformed the approach to teaching and learning at Sedgefield Hardwick, putting pupils firmly at the forefront of transformational change. Winning this award would mean a huge amount, not least in providing a platform to influence schools worldwide in a much-needed change to pedagogical approaches.

To celebrate the announcement, Laidlaw Schools Trust hosted its first Innovation Festival with 600 pupils from its academies in Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham. Pupils were palced in groups based on the Laidlaw Values - ambitious, brave, curious, determined, extraordinary, fast and good - and set challenges in Innovation Stations to solve real-life problems linked to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. It also received messages of congratulations from the town’s former MP, Sir Tony Blair, Lord Irvine Laidlaw, the Bishop of Durham and businessperson and Dragon on Dragon's Den, Sarah Davies.

Keep track of Sedgefield's progress in the competition by following Laidlaw Schools Trust and Sedgefield Hardwick on LinkedIn and Twitter.

For more information about the Laidlaw Schools Trust, visit https://www.laidlawschoolstrust.co.uk/