Bo’ness Academy is top of the class for supporting pupils and community

The awards recognised and celebrated the ingenuity, creativity and resilience of teachers and schools this year, particularly since the outbreak of the pandemic.

Lockdown presented unique challenges for teachers, from delivering learning for key workers’ children to meeting demands from home schooling. Schools adapted quickly to overcome the barriers lockdown placed to ensure children’s learning was not halted, and the whole event was designed to recognise these heroic efforts.

Jacqui McIntyre, a teacher at the school, ran a number of initiatives from a Book Treasure Trail for pupils to follow around town, to gifting books to adults and children in need.

Jacqui said: “We are all really excited to have been recognised with the Pot of Gold Award at the Lockdown Learning Awards.

“The lockdown meant our usual learning events and celebrations were all cancelled so it was tough to adapt to delivering everything virtually.

“We delivered books to pupils at home, set up the Treasure Trail for pupils and gifted books to those most in need which really lifted the community spirit.

“It’s fantastic to be recognised for our work in this way.”

Sarah Haythornthwaite, marketing director at awards organisers Renaissance, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to honour the brilliant work of Bo’ness Academy with the Lockdown Learning Awards.

“It has been a beyond challenging year for the education sector as a whole but we continue to be amazed by the creativity, innovation and excellence we see from schools across the country – often in the most difficult circumstances.

“It has never been more important than now to recognise and reward the fantastic work being done by teachers everywhere to help accelerate learning for all.”