Anthony Maratty is one of the winners at the Chadwick Celebration Awards
A trainee teacher described as “a breath of fresh air” has scooped a SCITT Trainee of the Year Award.
Having worked as a teaching assistant for almost four years, Anthony Maratty started the School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) course at St Bede’s Catholic Primary School in South Shields last September.
Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, which has 25 primary schools and five secondaries across South Tyneside, Sunderland and East Durham including St Bede’s in South Shields, runs the 12-month course in partnership with Teach First. The training programme gives people hands-on experience in the classroom while they train and includes online and face-to-face training, support from mentors, Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) on graduation.
Anthony, 31, from Ryhope in Sunderland, was “over the moon” to win the award at the Trust’s Chadwick Celebration Awards 2024, which took place at Ramside Hall in Durham.
His shortlist entry said: “Anthony is a breath of fresh air. He began his teacher training this year and made a fantastic impression on all of the staff and pupils. He is conscientious, committed, kind, calm and caring and this shows in his interactions. All the staff regard him as an incredible asset to the school.
“He is always happy to help and regularly stays back after school to support the wider school community. He has truly embraced the culture of our school and demonstrates our Gospel values every day. The pupils find him inspiring, and his enthusiasm is infectious.”
Anthony has completed placements at other schools in the Trust including St Leonard’s Catholic Primary School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, both in Sunderland.
“I’m shocked, delighted and over the moon to have won,” said Anthony, who starts a new teaching post at another Trust school, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Jarrow, in September.
“St Bede’s was kind enough to put me through my teacher training and it’s been wonderful. I have learned so much and it’s been brilliant to do my training with the Trust.”
Anthony’s former teacher, Christine Johnson, who works at St Bede’s Catholic School & Byron Sixth Form College, Peterlee, won the Mentor of the Year award.
Maddy Wiblin was celebrating her 44th birthday with her twin sister at the Chadwick Celebration Awards when she won the Teacher of the Year (Primary) category.
The Year 6 teacher and PE lead at St Matthew’s Catholic Primary School in Jarrow, was also celebrating winning the Bishop’s Cup, a football cup competition for schools across the Hexham and Newcastle Diocese. This is the sixth cup the school has won and the first time they have won the Bishop’s Cup.
In Maddy’s shortlist entry, it said: “Maddy goes above and beyond for her pupils, they look forward to coming into school every day. She is a brilliant teacher, bringing out the best in pupils, preparing them for SATs and their transition to secondary school while making learning relevant and engaging.
“She supports extra-curricular opportunities, such as managing the girls’ and boys’ football teams and assisting with residentials, ensuring formation of the whole person. She is admired by colleagues and loved by parents. She sees her role as a vocation, not a job, and this is evident as she makes a difference to every child in her care.”
“It’s been a mad day,” said Maddy, originally from Jarrow and now living in Hebburn.
“It’s a really special day and I’m so proud of the team for winning. My favourite part of teaching – and I’m in my 20th year of teaching – is seeing a child reach their potential and knowing I’ve made a difference at the end of the year.
“It’s an emotional time of year in Year 6 as they are about to leave school. Quite a few parents have been at the awards tonight which has made it really special too.”
The other winners at the Chadwick Celebration Awards 2024 were Lianne Peart, of St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Sunderland – Inspirational Staff Award; Clare Sutherland, of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Peterlee – Leadership & Management Award (Education); Carolyn Dent, of BCCET Central Team – Leadership & Management Award (Support Staff); Susan Smith, of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Jarrow – Healthy Lifestyles Award; Carole Godfrey, of St Aloysius Catholic Primary School, Hebburn – Achievement Award; Noreen Haley, of St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School, Sunderland – Everyday Hero Award; Katie Searle, of St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Sunderland – New Teacher Award; Catering Team at St Anthony’s Catholic Academy, Sunderland – Team of the Year Award; Rachel Cameron, of St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Sunderland – Governance Award; Helen Moran, of St Anthony’s Catholic Academy, Sunderland – Teacher of the Year (Secondary); Lisa Gillis, of St James Catholic Primary School, Hebburn – Staff Member of the Year Award (Support Staff); Georgia Hall, of St Mary Magdalen’s Catholic Primary School, Seaham – Staff Member of the Year Award (Classroom Based); Mike McGrother and the Infant Hercules Choir – Community Engagement Award; and Kasia Szczepanska, of St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, Sunderland – Gospel Values Award.
For more information about the Trust’s SCITT programme, visit www.bccet.org.uk/teach-first-partnership/
For more information about BCCET, please visit www.bccet.org.uk