New College PE department wins national FE Team of the Year Gold Award

The team from Pontefract New College with their award

The sports and PE department of New College Pontefract has won a prestigious national award.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards, which feature on the BBC’s One Show every year, represent the highest award available for a teaching department.

New College took the FE Team of the Year Gold Award which was presented by the secretary of state for education, Nadhim Zahawi.

“It is a huge honour,” said Tom Shepherd, director of sport at New College. “The award is for the whole team, and rightly so.

"All of them have given many hours of their time above and beyond their core jobs, to help students access additional training, gain volunteer experience and work with primary pupils here and abroad.

Vicky Marks, New College principal, added, “This award is so well deserved. The entire PE department work so hard at engaging all our students and staff in physical exercise and sport.

Their approach to equality, working with Paralympic sports such as boccia and wheelchair basketball, speaks volumes about the college’s commitment to being a welcoming and supportive community.

We are delighted with their success.”

This is not the first time that New College Pontefract have won a Pearson National Teaching Award. Last year the college’s senior leadership team won the Silver Award in the same category, FE Team of the Year.