Here's a quick summary of what secondary schools in Hertfordshire have successfully bid for so far in the spring term of 2023. Each academic year, schools can bid for up to £1000 in each of our focus areas (PE, STEM and Learning to Learn) providing there are enough funds left in our termly budget (displayed on the applications page). Applications have to pass our criteria which you can find here.
We wish all the award recipients good luck with their amazing projects and we are very pleased to have helped them "achieve a lot with a little".
Please Note: The Effective Learning criteria has changed to Learning to Learn from January 2023 so some of the previous EL awards may not have passed under this new category so do read the re-focussed criteria and look at the L2L bids as examples.
| School | Location | Focus | Project |
| Robert Barclay | Hoddesdon | STEM | A range of science equipment to enable pupils to work in smaller groups which will improve practical confidence and competency at all levels in a broader range of topics and maintain motivation in the subject overall. |
| Goffs Churchgate | Cheshunt | Learning to Learn | INSET for all teaching staff in critical and higher order thinking to help develop students as more independent and metacognitive thinkers. This training is provided by JMCinset, covers such areas as visualising thinking, reasoning, higher order questioning and digital tools and is an initial step towards becoming a Thinking School. |
| Presdales | Ware | STEM | A Holzstar DB100 wood turning lathe to support the increase in DT KS 4 and 5 numbers with a machine that will increase the range of practice and coursework projects available and produce more detailed and professional pieces of work and hence, higher grades. |
| Presdales | Ware | PE | A set of 12 barbells and weights and storage rack to provide enough equipment to enable whole class gym based fitness sessions, rotating through the machines, free weights and free plyometric exercises to gain a full body workout. The equipment will be especially useful for exam groups and G+T students. |
| Katherine Warington | Harpenden | PE | High jump stand and lathe and crash mat to extend athletics facilities. The crash mat will also be used for indoor gymnastics to get maximum use from it. |
| Dacorum Ed. Support Centre | Hemel Hempstead | Learning to Learn | Phonological processing and reading efficiency complete testing kits tailor to better facilitate individualised interventions, teach specific skills to address areas of weakness such as dual coding and targeted reading practice, and identify and apply for exam access arrangements. |
| The Reach Free | Rickmansworth | PE | Golf equipment pack for 24 pupils to enable golf to be offered on the PE curriculum and as an after school club, expanding pupils' experience of sports and developing coordination skills for all years and Y6 summer school and transition program. |
| St. Mary's Catholic | Bishops Stortford | STEM | A CNC router, precision measuring instruments and tooling for a manual lathe to enable students to produce precision parts on a manual machine and learn to use industry-standard software on the router. This will also allow an increased range of resistant materials to be produced and increase quality. |
| St. Mary's Catholic | Bishops Stortford | PE | 2x Indoor table tennis tables to add to their existing tables which will allow them to put table tennis on the PE curriculum and run clubs at lunchtime across all year groups. Staff will also benefit as part of the sports element of mindfulness during CPD days. |
| Croxley Danes | Watford | PE | Athletics vests and running spikes to ensure students have equal opportunities when running against other pupils and schools who have spikes and to help boost NEA (practical element) results as well as engendering a sense of pride and belonging in the school. |
| Bishop' Hatfield Girls | Hatfield | Learning to Learn | A mix of 1-day and 1/2 day workshops for all Y9 pupils on developing oracy/confidence/presentation skills with extra time given to disadvantaged students. Skills taught include delivering a persuasive talk using the PEEEP structure (transferable across the curriculum - verbal or written), reasoning and self-confidence and attending teachers will cascade the training through other year groups. |
| Croxley Danes | Watford | STEM | A ripple tank, rheostats and gas syringe holders to facilitate hands-on practical work in small groups/pairs across the year groups, especially the rapidly expanding A level science groups across chemistry, physics and biology. |
| The Highfield | Letchworth Garden City | PE | 2x Easifold Deluxe indoor table tennis table to afford greater access to the sport within the curriculum and in extra-curricular sessions. These high-quality tables will last longer than others they have tried and increasing the stock allows more table-time and thus skills development. |