Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Ten years of honouring outstanding teaching assistants celebrated
The Jenny Ellis award for the North East was given to KellyMacKenzie of Sandhill View School in Sunderland; the North West award-winner was Karon Higginbottom of Anderton Primary School in Chorley; and the Peter Sutherland award for Yorkshire and Humber went to Helen Somers-Joce of Barwic Parade Community Primary School in Selby.
The Outstanding HLTA awards were introduced in 2010 by Carnegie Leaders in Learning, based at Leeds Metropolitan University, along with Leeds Trinity University, Northumbria University and Sheffield Hallam University.
As the award of HLTA status itself was established in 2004, this year's awards event celebrated ten years of excellence in learning support.
HLTAs from across the region are nominated by school colleagues for their excellence in advancing the learning of pupils, working effectively as part of the school community and bringing expertise to the staff team.
Awards were presented to HLTAs from the three regions of the North of England: North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber at a celebration event at the Headingley Carnegie Stadium. Shortlisted HLTAs, their guests and a senior representative of their school attended the ceremonies.
The awards were presented by Helen Whitrod Brown, Associate Dean of the Carnegie Faculty at Leeds Met, who commented: "I was delighted to be asked to present this year's awards for 'Outstanding HLTA' and hear from those attending the event about the incredible contribution they make to their schools. HLTAs are inspirational, not just for the children they work with and their colleagues in school but also for those young people who are training to be teachers."
HLTA status is a national status originally awarded by the Training and Development Agency and currently awarded by the HLTA National Assessment Partnership. It was introduced in 2004 and over 50 000 teaching assistants nationally have now achieved the status. In order to gain HLTA status candidates have to undertake a rigorous assessment process during which they have to demonstrate that they meet 33 professional standards in their work. The HLTA North Partnership is the Regional Provider of Assessment in the North of England with Leeds Trinity University, Northumbria University and Sheffield Hallam University.