THERE'S still time to send in nominations for the South Wales Argus Schools & Education Awards 2021, your chance to say thank you to schools, teachers, support staff and learning initiatives for the impact they have made to the education of somebody close to you.

It’s easy to enter. Simply visit: https://newsquestevents.co.uk/schools-education-awards/, look through the categories and send in your entries.

This week we’re turning the spotlight on some of our valued sponsors, without whom the awards wouldn’t take place.

Coleg Gwent are proud sponsors of the Best Welsh Language Initiative Award 2021. As one of Wales’ top performing colleges, Coleg Gwent has consistently high A Level pass rates - currently 97.7 per cent - and is ranked as the joint top performing college for vocational learning in Wales.

The Welsh language and culture of Wales is important to Coleg Gwent, as speaking and understanding Welsh is a valuable skill not just now, but for the future too. The college recognises that Welsh language skills are highly sought-after by employers, so they assist learners and staff to gain or improve their skills. They promote, encourage and facilitate Welsh medium opportunities across the college, from learning the Welsh language, to studying and teaching through the medium of Welsh.

Arwel Rees-Taylor, bilingual development manager at the college, commented “Coleg Gwent are strong advocates in promoting the development of Welsh language, both in the college and the wider community, and we’re committed to this agenda as a college and proud to sponsor the Best Welsh Language Initiative Award.”

With five campuses across Gwent, studying full time, part time or university level qualifications across a range of academic and vocational subjects couldn’t be easier.

Tutors are experts in their fields and industry-standard facilities enable learners to develop their skills.

Strong links and working partnerships with local employers help Coleg Gwent to develop the curriculum of the future and address skill shortages.

Everyone is welcome at this friendly, inclusive and diverse college with a community spanning all age-groups.

Thousands join the college each year to enjoy high-quality teaching, extensive support, extra-curricular activities and achieve excellent outcomes, and you can join them.

Find out more: www.coleggwent.ac.uk

South Wales Argus: Enter the South Wales Argus Schools & Education Awards

THE University of South Wales (USW) Schools and Colleges Liaison Team is delighted to sponsor the Secondary School Teacher of the Year award.

USW’s Schools and Colleges Liaison Team works with teachers and advisers to deliver a comprehensive programme of outreach activity for secondary school pupils which encompasses:

  • Higher Education workshops on all aspects of the University application process, student life, budgeting and student finance, choosing a course and university.
  • Inspirational subject-specific masterclasses and taster sessions, providing students with an insight into studying a subject at degree level.
  • One-to-one information, advice and guidance support sessions including mock interviews and application surgeries.
  • Resilience and wellbeing workshops.

The team deliverers presentations and workshops for parents and carers and supports schools and colleges with Continued Professional Development sessions for teachers and advisers on a wealth of topics.

These are complemented by our annual Teachers’ and Advisers’ Conference and our Teacher and Adviser Awards.

The team also works with under-represented groups, including disabled students, service children, BAME students, young carers and care leavers, and has a tailored outreach programme to engage learners from these groups, with the aim of encouraging and supporting progression to HE.

We pride ourselves on being USW’s first point of contact for teachers and advisers.

In 2019, the team won the Higher Education Liaison Officers’ Association Award for Best Practice in Student Recruitment and Outreach.

USW is proud to be a university of ambition and intent.

We explore and share ideas.

We widen access to learning and serve our learners with passion and equip them for success.

We are a modern, forward-thinking university.

We are the University for Tomorrow.

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CINTEC™ International Ltd is the sponsor of the ‘New Teacher of the Year’ category at the South Wales Argus Schools & Education Awards.

Cintec™ International Ltd has been a leader in innovative thinking in engineering research and development since 1984.

The company, based at Gold Tops in Newport, specialises in structural reinforcement systems and masonry anchors for the preservation of historical restorations and other masonry structures.

In addition, it has invented unique products such as Waterwall, which provides rapid blast protection against improvised explosive devices, including the effects of dirty bombs.

Fire and emergency services have also benefited from its expertise.

Cintec is currently working in partnership with Cardiff University and University College of London on a project that will lead to future work in Cairo and across the Middle East.

It’s carrying out coastal protection work near Porthcawl and restoring a long retaining wall in Abersychan, using a combination of masonry and ground anchors.

Managing director Peter James says Cintec™ International Ltd is delighted to be involved with the South Wales Schools & Education Awards.

“We are delighted to be sponsoring the New Teacher of the Year Award - after the exemplary work of the education sector in South Wales during what has been an especially challenging year for us all, we are thrilled to be able to show our thanks and help celebrate the achievements of these deserving individuals,” he said.