Oakwood Primary Academy, one of the primary academies that is part of the Co-op Academies Trust, has been nominated for the Early Years Award in The TES national education awards.

This is the second year running that Oakwood has been nominated for a TES School Award; in 2016 it was nominated for the International School Award.

Maeve Birdsall, the Early Years team leader, said “We’re very proud to have been shortlisted for this award. The work in the Foundation Stage at Oakwood is developed through dialogue, negotiation and respect for the ideas and beliefs of children and adults alike. We offer provision that is rich in possibilities, providing children with exciting environments of discovery. I couldn’t be more pleased that our success has been recognised.”

The annual awards are a rich tapestry of what can be found in schools. From an inner-city Pupil Referral Unit specialising in boxing to a top boarding school on the south coast to an Islamic free school in Blackburn; they are all there.

Frank Norris, Director of The Co-operative Academies Trust, said “Maeve and her team have developed a wonderful environment for learning. They do incredible outreach work and have used the Reggio Emilia approach in Early Years to allow students to communicate their interests through different forms of expression.”

“Oakwood regularly have visitors from across the U.K, Europe and even Mexico to observe the education approaches being adopted. The team are leaders in their field and we’re very proud of them.”

The awards, now in their ninth year, celebrate the innovation, achievement and dedication of the staff in schools across the country. This year’s ceremony will be held in London on Friday 23 June.