Educate Awards 2021: Eldon Primary School recognised for its commitment to STEM

Eldon Primary School in Preston has come runner up in the Outstanding Commitment to STEM category at the Educate Awards, an annual prestigious awards ceremony which celebrates the excellence of schools in Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester.

The school had been invited to Friday's awards ceremony after being shortlisted for four Educate Awards, with the other three being the Innovative & Creative Literacy Award, the WOW Recognition Award, and The Most Inspirational Primary School.

Eldon Primary School performed best in the Outstanding Commitment to STEM category, which is sponsored by All About Stem and awards schools with a range of exceptional STEM activities or who have developed successful STEM projects that promote the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics subjects to all students.

Azra Butt, headteacher of Eldon Primary School said: "The Governors, staff, parents and children were delighted to have been shortlisted in 25% of the Regional Northwest Educate Awards, and on the night Eldon was runner up in its Outstanding Commitment to STEM.

"Our staff and children enjoy all their learning and in particular their STEM learning, from being inspired by ‘real life’ Engineers from industry to working with the University of Bristol Dentistry students in their learning about oral hygiene.

"Family learning has also been a great hit, even during lockdown, the Lancashire Adult Learning have delivered many STEM parent and child courses, and during lockdown, packs were created for families to enjoy.

"More recently, during National Science Week, our children made zero emission electrical vehicles to raise awareness of ‘global warming’.

"All of these fabulous opportunities are enabling us to be ‘on track’ with the ‘Outreach’ PSQM award which we are working towards under the leadership of our Science Lead Phillipa Sharples."

The Educate Awards took place at the Liverpool Cathedral on Friday night and a team of Eldon staff were able to attend, including Azra Butt and Phillipa Sharples.

On Twitter the school said: "What a fabulous evening! Thank you @EducateAwards for an amazing awards ceremony! Stunning atmosphere, great entertainment, wonderful food, fabulous company and of course the magical awards themselves! Congratulations to all who got shortlisted and won on the night!"