Manchester City Council Supplementary Schools Awards -MSSP 2023 winners
Contents
- Manchester City Council Supplementary Schools Awards -MSSP 2023 winners
- Networking and Awards Event
- Performances by attending schools
- Award Categories, nominees and winners
- Quality Mark Certificate Awardees
2023 has seen our MSSP members recognised for their various achievements. On July 1st, the Manchester City Council Safeguarding in Education team collaborated with the Manchester Supplementary Schools Partnership to host an achievement event, recognizing the outstanding efforts of supplementary schools across the city. Held at the Martin Harris Centre, the event welcomed over 200 attendees, including the Lord Mayor, Councillor Yasmine Dar, representing 22 supplementary schools in Manchester.
Networking and Awards Event
The occasion served as a platform for networking, sharing best practices through exhibition stalls, and acknowledging the commitment of schools, volunteers, and teachers. A highlight was the awards ceremony, where the Lord Mayor presented 7 schools with the Manchester Accreditation Award for Quality Standards in Safeguarding, including a higher award reaccreditation achieved by MEaP. Certificates and trophies were also awarded to individual teachers and volunteers for their dedication in three specific areas: Community Partnership, Creative Teaching and Learning, and Youth Voice and Children’s Rights.
Performances by attending schools
The ceremony featured captivating performances by attending schools, showcasing song, dance, and spoken word pieces. It was a fantastic gathering, bringing together individuals from diverse communities, united in the common goal of supporting and enriching the lives of children and young people in Manchester. Plans are already underway to ensure that next year’s event celebrates even more achievements of supplementary schools.
Award Categories, nominees and winners
Youth Voice and Children’s Rights Nominations and Winner
Celebrate a staff member who integrates youth voice and children’s rights into activities, learning resources, and the curriculum.
Nominees:
- Asta Salnaite, Lithuanian Supplementary School “Austeja”
- Vasia Romaiou, Greek School of Manchester
- Sandra Racelauskiene, Manchester Lithuanian Sunday School
- Fidaa Taboni, Manchester Arabic School
- Grace Olanrewaju, EQUAL EDUCATION CHANCES
- Shuangning Mo, Manchester Chinese Centre
- Noor Elmekki, Manchester Sudanese Supplementary School
- Sam Solomon, ReflecTeen
- Ella An Bowen Education
- Faten Ghanfer, Almanar Arabic School
- Hanna Dajic, Bosnian School and Society of Manchester
- Emily Set-Yee Yau, Manchester Chinese Education & Culture Community Centre Chinese School
- Amber Abisai – MEaP
Winner: Sam Solomon – ReflecTeen
Sam Solomon possesses a unique ability to foster positive relationships that build trust and confidence within our supplementary school provision. His teaching style and approach celebrate individual students’ skills, interests, and talents, fostering their academic aspirations. Over the last two years, Sam has worked with 66 young people on the verge of school exclusion, creating tailored learning and engaging materials while providing extra mentoring support.
Sam advocates for youth voice by boosting students’ confidence in understanding their civic rights, incorporating it into all activities. His efforts make a positive difference in the community, creating support that truly impacts students’ lives.
Creative Teaching and Learning Nominations
Acknowledging those who employ imaginative and captivating methods of teaching and learning, steering away from traditional approaches.
Nominees:
- Grazina Gaidimauskiene, Lithuanian Supplementary School “Austeja”
- Ms. Niki Agathangelidou, Greek School of Manchester
- Maria Pavlakou, Greek School of Manchester
- Agne Hood, Manchester Lithuanian Sunday School
- Batol Khalasse Khanji, Manchester Arabic School
- Pelumi Fatayo, Equal Education Chances
- Shuangning Mo, Manchester Chinese Centre
- Nuoshi Yu, Manchester Chinese Centre
- Mona Taha, Manchester Sudanese Supplementary School
- ReflecTeen teaching team – ReflecTeen
- William Burtonwood – Bowen Education
- Omaima Ben Jred, Almanar Arabic School
- Edisa Osmancevic Garibovic, BSSM-Bosnian School and Society of Manchester
- Miss Vasia Romaiou, Greek School of Manchester
- Ms. Xiaoyan Kuang & Ms. Bixia Cao, Manchester Chinese Education & Culture Community Centre Chinese School
- Ruth Shuttleworth, MEaP
Winner: Mona Taha – Manchester Sudanese Supplementary School
Mona Taha, the nursery class teacher, consistently employs creative and engaging teaching methods. Her lesson plans are thoughtfully crafted to be both captivating and educational, catering to the diverse needs of all students. Mona introduces various activities such as art, dance, and singing to foster imagination and creativity among the children. She utilizes open-ended resources like treasure baskets, activity trays, and playdough to enhance learning experiences.
Mona’s ingenuity extends to using simple materials for creative projects; for example, she amazed children and fellow teachers with a snappy crocodile design crafted from egg cartons. This innovative approach not only engaged the children but also served as an educational tool, linking the artwork to a lesson about an Arabic alphabetical letter. Mona’s creative teaching style consistently brings joy and engagement to the learning environment, making her a deserving winner of the Creative Teaching and Learning award.
Community Partnership Nominations
Recognizing those who actively collaborate with other organizations and businesses in their communities, creating valuable opportunities for children and young people.
Nominees:
- Diana Valiukonien, Lithuanian Supplementary School “Austeja”
- Maria Pavlakou, Greek School of Manchester
- Manchester Lithuanian Sunday School
- Dr. Dina Kabbani, Manchester Arabic School
- Dr. Sabreen Qutob, Manchester Arabic School
- Ibukun Adelakun, Equal Education Chances
- Shuangning Mo, Manchester Chinese Centre
- Sukna Chen, Manchester Chinese Centre
- Amani Mohamed, Manchester Sudanese Supplementary School
- Josh Broadhurst, Bowen Education
- Randa Haj Younes, Omaima Ben Gred. Almanar Arabic School
- Indira Mrkonjic, BSSM-Bosnian School and Society of Manchester
- Henry Ngawoofah, Meap
Winner: Maria Pavlakou – Greek School of Manchester
Ms. Pavlakou, through her collaborative efforts, has consistently created brilliant opportunities for children, enriching their educational experience and laying the foundation for their future success. She embodies the true spirit of collaboration, actively seeking partnerships with local organizations and businesses to enhance educational opportunities for pupils.
Understanding the power of external networks, Ms. Pavlakou has significantly impacted broadening children’s horizons and expanding their learning beyond the school environment. In her role as a teacher since 2020, and later as the appointed headteacher towards the end of the school year 2021-2022, Ms. Pavlakou has been a visionary leader, collaborating with various entities to open doors to exciting opportunities for the school and its pupils.
Her dedication to creating brilliant opportunities is unparalleled, and Ms. Pavlakou’s efforts have undoubtedly transformed the educational landscape within the community.
Quality Mark Certificate Awardees
The subsequent schools successfully earned the award, showcasing commendable practices in safeguarding policies and procedures – Congratulations!
Foundation Award
- Greek School of Manchester
- Manchester Chinese Christian Church
- Sudanese Supplementary School
Higher Award
- MEaP – Was the first to complete the Higher Award in 2019 and has consistently maintained high-quality standards through Spring 2023.
- Bowen Education and Damascene Supplementary Schools achieved the award in 2021, demonstrating resilience and commitment during challenging times amidst the Covid pandemic
