A school in Manor Park has earned a national accolade for its “trailblazing curriculum” encompassing academic success, pastoral care and healthy living.
Representatives from Kensington Primary School were presented with their prestigious Pearson national teaching award live on The One Show on BBC One.
They were named primary school of the year in receiving the gold award for making a difference, after being selected as category winner from thousands of initial nominations.
Kensington Primary headteacher Ben Levinson said: “This is a once in a lifetime moment.
“Everyone - children, our team, parents, governors, The Tapscott Learning Trust, our partners - are on cloud nine and I don’t think we’ll be coming back down until well into 2021.”
The school went from a ‘requires improvement’ rating by Ofsted in 2014 to being assessed as ‘outstanding’ two years later and has developed an acclaimed curriculum built on three years of private and public sector research.
A founding school of the Tapscott Learning Trust, Kensington is at the heart of one of the most diverse communities in the country and believes in partnership to provide the best for its children.
It provides food parcels for families, offered access to its playground during lockdown so children could play outside and brings in physical health initiatives to combat the borough’s obesity challenges.
Tapscott Learning Trust CEO Paul Harris said: “I was completely and utterly overjoyed at the recognition that Kensington received.
“This is testament to incredible team and community work - everyone has played their part over the years, and they couldn’t deserve it more.”
Many of the Pearson National Teaching Awards gold winners will receive national acclaim for their vital work supporting pupils.
The One Show presenter Alex Jones said: “We were so thrilled to have the team from Kensington Primary School on the show and to thank them for their incredible work.
“We all know the value of a great school, and Kensington Primary School has proven themselves to be both outstanding and inspirational.
“There has never been a more important time to celebrate the hard work that happens in our schools across the country.”
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