WITH just one week left until the deadline for entries in this year’s South Wales Argus Schools & Education Awards, held in association with Cardiff Metropolitan University, this is the last chance to tell us why your school is the bee’s knees and its students or pupils are buzzing.

We want to hear about primary and secondary schools where children and young people are excited to learn.

Tell us about measures put in place to engage and support pupils and students who struggle with their lessons and ways in which hands-on experiences are providing fresh insights.

Has your school come up with particularly innovative ways to help young people to continue with their lessons during the Covid pandemic, or which goes out of its way to be an active part of its community?

Do you have a favourite teacher who makes the hours spent in their classroom an adventure; somebody who always manages to get the best out of young people and is supportive during hours of need?

The South Wales Argus Schools & Education Awards is all about celebrating excellence and showcasing those unsung heroes whose contribution to lifelong learning will be remembered long after schooldays have passed.

While exams are often used as the yardstick for educational success, we want to delve deeply into the other aspects of school life that make a huge difference to individual journeys.

From early years to further education, and beyond, we want to find out about the teachers, assistants and lecturers who are an inspiration, and we want to know about the digital innovations that are making a huge difference to learning experiences.

And don’t forget the army of dinner supervisors, school secretaries, lab technicians and caretakers who are the oil in school engines, and all who go above and beyond to provide the best possible opportunities for those in their care.

The winner of the secondary school of the year category in the 2020 awards was St Martin’s Comprehensive, at which hands-on learning is delivering outstanding results.

Whether it’s discovering the lifecycles of bees through looking after hives in the school grounds, or getting to grips with the principles of nutrition while cooking for elderly neighbours in a professional catering environment, no two days are ever the same at the school in Caerphilly.

The success of the approach taken at St Martin’s can be seen in the continuous improvements in its exam results and attendance levels, both of which have led the school to be taken out of monitoring and rated as ‘good’ by Estyn within the space of just four years.

Indeed, in their report published in 2019, inspectors commented on how most students ‘enjoyed’ coming to school.

“Many teachers show high levels of dedication to ensure that pupils perform to the best of their ability,” said the document. “They deliver exciting lessons that capture pupils’ imagination. As a result, most pupils enjoy coming to school.”

We know St Martin’s is one of many excellent centres of learning across South Wales: why not take the time to tell us about your school and allow it to receive the praise it deserves. Enter today by visiting: https://newsquestevents.co.uk/schools-education-awards