As the dust settles on a jubilant Relationships and Sex Education Day 2020, its time to toast the school staff who make this learning such a delight the whole year round, and announce winners of our RSE Teaching Awards.
Our judging panel, made up of education experts both young and not-quite-so-young, had the unenviable task of picking winners from a list of teaching staff that could all have merited top spot.
We’d like to honour everyone who was nominated – and if you narrowly missed out this year then take heart: it could be your turn to scoop the accolade in 2021.
Without further ado, the winners are:
- Helen Merel, Lyndhurst Junior School - Best RSE teacher 2020 – primary
- Jo Morgan, Portsmouth Grammar School - Best RSE teacher 2020 – secondary
- Claire Burton, Charlton Park Academy - Best RSE teacher 2020 – special school
- Kayleigh Fisher, Robert Blake Science College - Best RSE teacher 2020 – adapting to remote education and the context of the Covid-19 pandemic
What caught the judges’ eye?
The panel were blown away by how nominees described the winners’ work:
- Helen has been dedicated to the thorough delivery of high-quality, fully inclusive RSE education and as a result has successfully challenged the use of homophobic language.’
- ‘What makes Jo exceptional is that though she creates a safety bubble, the atmosphere of positivity around sex and relationships has spread across the majority of the faculty and school’, said one student. A colleague added she taught with the ‘utmost honesty and transparency’.
- ‘Claire is committed to the development of every child. She ensures that students learn how to keep safe whilst enjoying positive relationships. Claire’s dedication and passion are an inspiration to us all.’
- Kayleigh set virtual lessons via Loom for year 9 and 10 students, challenging them to create monologues that explore healthy relationships. Students interviewed family members about their perceptions. With so much bad news, students enjoyed this time getting to know their loved ones better, using phone calls or Facetime to talk.
About the judges
Many thanks to our astute judging panel, in particular Young NCB members: Aayushi (13), Dmitrijs (14), and Amy (18). They were assisted by input from our ‘professionals’: Lesley Kerr-Edwards, Director of Image in Action, and Alice Hoyle, RSE teacher and subject expert.
Prizes
The winners will receive a collection of books and resources kindly given by Bloomsbury, Usborne, Walker Books, Discovery Education and Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Free tickets to attend Sex Education Forum webinars will also be given to the schools, acknowledging the team effort behind the best RSE teachers 2020.
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