Wigan college's maths department celebrated at national awards

Its mathematics department was awarded a “highly recommended” by education charity the PTI for the Bernice McCabe Award at a ceremony at the Mercers’ Hall, London.

Bernice McCabe OBE, who died in 2019, was a founding co-director of the PTI and believed in the transformative power of inspiring subject teaching.

The award celebrates excellence in subject leadership, recognising departments that put quality subject teaching at the heart of the classroom.

A £5,000 prize and trophy is awarded annually to an exceptional department which demonstrates the ethos and values of the PTI through work within and beyond the curriculum.

Winstanley’s maths department was highly commended for “creating resources to help develop math skills and provide individualised feedback.”

This included a three-tiered home-work package, a peer monitoring scheme and the wider use of MS teams to encourage independent study. The team also created a resource bank where students had access to past papers and question banks.

Hugh Rayment-Pickard, co-director of the PTI said: “The PTI is delighted to announce the maths department at Winstanley College as highly commended for the respected Bernice McCabe Award 2023.

"This award recognises teachers and departments across the country who continually go the extra mile for their students.”

Winstanley’s head of maths Katie Williams said: ‘Winstanley College shares the PTI's ethos: putting quality teaching at the core of all we do and inspiring all our students to fulfil their potential.

"The maths department’s projects have enabled staff to provide a well-resourced curriculum which is academically challenging, develops students’ independence, organisation, technology and communication skills, enabling students to progress and excel in the future.”

Jon Coles, chief executive of United Learning, said: ‘It was a pleasure to chair the panel of judges for the Bernice McCabe Award and to see once again the passion and excellence of subject teachers and departments working with the PTI.

"Visits to our shortlisted departments showed their exceptional commitment to the principles and values of the PTI as they create exciting and scholarly subject teaching.”