Performing Arts have been shortlisted for ‘FE Team of the Year’ and Honours Programme Manager and History Lecturer Carina Ancell for ‘FE Lecturer of the Year’. This is the first time that the same institution has been shortlisted twice in the history of the awards.

Selected from thousands of nominations, 85 extraordinary teachers, lecturers and school staff have found themselves in the running for the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards 2021. The shortlisted nominees have all shown their willingness to go above and beyond their roles in a bid to provide the best possible education for their students.

The performing arts team has been nominated for being an exceptional group of professionals and industry specialists who have devoted themselves to supporting students in developing creative, technical and performance skills. They have developed programme links to industry professionals and keep providing students with work-based learning and skills. They have worked with the likes of National Theatre, Tara Arts, Ramira Arts, Just Us Dance, Freddie Opuku-Addaie, Frantic Assembly, Tricycle Theatre, UEL, East London Dance and Stratford Circus to name a few. Students have recently worked on national shows including the National Student Drama Festival with a piece called ‘Seen’ and performed with Zest Theatre on a show called ‘Youthquake’.

Carina Ancell has been nominated for being extremely committed to all her A-level History, EPQ and Honours Programme students. She has developed some outstanding partnership work with Oxbridge universities, brought the study of Classics to NewVIc, launched an African Studies Centre and won an award for London Teacher of the Year in 2020. She is always very positive, dedicated and encouraging to all of her students in the classroom and beyond. Having worked at the college for nearly 20 years she has developed an excellent understanding of NewVIc students, their motivations and their needs.

There are 15 categories being awarded, two of which NewVIc have been shortlisted for. The shortlist includes outstanding teachers, lecturers, teaching assistants and heads across schools and colleges in England, Northern Ireland and Wales. In 2020 awards were announced for Gold Winners live on BBC One’s The One Show, and will be back on The One Show this year for the 2021 Awards.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they teach.

Head of Curriculum, John Crockford added:

“The performing arts team is so excited by this amazing shortlisting for FE team of the year, and I personally feel that it reflects the consistently stimulating creative curriculum and projects at NewVIc. Performing arts here is the combination of dynamic, inspiring creative teachers and our lovely students who come from such a diverse range of backgrounds and starting points. Determination to achieve high standards in our work with professional partners, our links to our awesome alumni in the creative industries and the care shown to our students is what sets us apart - I'm so proud of the team.”

Honours Programme Manager and teacher of History, Carina Ancell added:

“It is a privilege to be shortlisted for such a prestigious award. I love my work as Curriculum Team Manager for Extended Studies, supporting our students to progress to leading universities and hopefully inspiring and motivating the next generation of young historians in my role as A-Level History teacher. I particularly enjoy my external partnership work with some really creative individuals and academic departments at universities across the UK. I am so lucky to work at such an amazing, diverse college as NewVIc and to have such a lovely group of colleagues to collaborate with, who play such a key role in making this college so successful, and without whom I would not be able to do the work I do. Particular credit needs to go to Magdalena Johnson, our Vice Principal, for always supporting me and driving me to achieve more, and Alan Kunna who is my partner in so many of the projects, and has been such an inspiration for me. But most importantly it is my students who, with their creativity, energy and enthusiasm, constantly make the teaching experience so enjoyable and challenge me intellectually every day.”

For more information visit https://www.teachingawards.com/