Scottish Catholic Observer

Gillian Campbell-Thow, principal teacher of modern languages at All Saints Secondary, Glasgow, is one of three finalists in the teacher category at the Scottish Education Awards 2014.

Mrs Campbell-Thow (right with pupils) said she was surprised at the nomination.

“To be honest, I’m dead embarrassed,” she said. “It’s something that you should be really proud of but a part of me thinks I’m going to get absolute pelters!”

The teacher was nominated for the award by one of her pupils, something she thinks is lovely. “It’s really interesting what he put in [the nomination],” she said. “It’s not just about things that happened in class, it’s things that happened outside as well, which is really touching. And one of the things he said is that he thinks I care about him, which I do. It’s really lovely.”

Mrs Campbell-Thow is part a long list of staff at Catholic schools that will be attending the awards—to be held on June 10 in Glasgow’s Thistle Hotel—as nominees. Staff and pupils at St Ninian’s High School, Kirkintilloch, are celebrating after receiving two nominations, one for Enterprise and Employability Across Learning and the other for Innovation in Literacy and Numeracy Teaching Practice.

The school regularly brings in outside agencies to help give children skills outwith the classroom, including a link-up with the Royal Bank of Scotland for financial education and working with the Heartstart programme to teach people what to do in emergency situations.

St Ninian’s headteacher Paul McLaughlin had high praise for his staff, singling out Mark Campbell, who leads the school’s numeracy team and is named on one of the award nominations, and Stephen Kearney of the literacy team.

“We are delighted because it is a recognition of the hard work people are putting in,” he said. “Even if you don’t win; it’s not really about winning it’s about getting that recognition, getting to the awards ceremony.

Nominations for the education awards, which are open to all publicly funded schools in Scotland, closed in February, and were followed by school inspections of the nominees by a panel of judges. Other Catholic schools to be praised include Cardinal Winning Secondary, Glasgow, in the Commonwealth Games Legacy category and Our Lady and St Patrick’s High School, Dumbarton, for creative learning.

Our Lady and St Patrick’s has placed creativity at the heart of its school programme, involving pupils in a number of activities including producing an animation on social inclusion, hosting a fashion show and transforming abandoned shop fronts in Dumbarton High St with art work from S6 pupils.

Charles Rooney, headteacher at the school, said he was delighted that their work was being formally recognised.

“Students and staff have been working closely together to deliver what are both challenging and enjoyable learning opportunities,” he said. “The wide range of activities is allowing pupils of all ages to develop their talents and use their imagination. These are key skills for the future. Well done to everyone involved!”

Also nominated is St Mungo’s Primary School, Glasgow, for its work on Gaelic education, while Adele Kytzia, principal teacher of the Columba unit for children on the Autism Spectrum at St Benedict’s High School, Linwood, has been nominated for a lifetime achievement award.

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