SHORTLIST: School Improvement Award

ST PHILIP'S C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

St Philip's C of E Primary School in Whitby Terrace, Bradford, earned several nominations. One particularly fulsome nomination read: "As a parent, we want our children to go to a school with a good reputation and outstanding results in achievements. In 2012/2013, our school fell in 'special measures' category, and steps were taken to replace the resigning head teacher.

"A temporary head teacher was given the position for approx. 6 months, to put things straight, within 2 months of the new role, the head teacher got a good thumbs up response from the OFSTED, shortly after, a permanent head teacher joined the school, and within months, there was major turn around.

"The OFSTED were confident that there was light at the end of the tunnel for this school. As a parent, I can now communicate with the 'less stressed' out teachers. There are more meetings with parents, and the encouragement from the school to parents to help at home is showing fantastic results. There are fun days, for charities like Children in Need, Red nose day, and a lot more.

"My children are confident , and do not hesitate to ask for extra support in class. A lot more reward schemes are in place for attendance, excellent behaviour, and team work within class fellows."

RYECROFT ACADEMY

Ryecroft Academy on Kesteven Road in Bradford was told to become an academy to tackle years of underachievement - and then was rated as “outstanding” by government inspectors.

Ryecroft Primary Academy was the first primary school in the district to convert to academy status in 2012 after an approach by the government.

The Department for Education felt it would benefit from the change after years of poor performance, although the school was starting to improve by 2012. In 2006, the school was deemed “inadequate” by inspectors. But two years later headteacher Jayne Clarke (pictured) was appointed. She said she was “determined” to turn the school around as soon as possible.

In 2010, Ryecroft was recognised as “good” by inspectors, and last year the government used it as an example of how converting to academies could improve schools.

Mrs Clarke said: “We are still stunned. It was my vision to get an outstanding judgment right from the beginning, but I hardly dared believe it would happen. The Ofsted inspectors really understood what we do for our children and that we aspire to the very best outcomes for them.”

The school received several nominations from parents. One read: “My nephew and niece have attended this lovely school and they have come on leaps and bounds since attending. The teaching staff are amazing.” and deserve to be praised.”

LOWER FIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL

A Bradford school has been described as "good" by government inspectors, who praised it for celebrating its "wide range of backgrounds, cultures and beliefs."

Lower Fields Primary School on Fenby Avenue was told it had maintained its good status after Ofsted visited the school last year. Their report said: "Standards are rising and pupils achieve well. Pupils make at least the progress expected of them and many do even better.

"Most teaching is good. Staff are committed and hard-working and the leadership of teaching and learning is strong. This is a school where the wide range of backgrounds, cultures and beliefs represented are very much celebrated and valued."

The report rated the school good in all four categories, pupil behaviour, teaching, pupil achievement and leadership.

The school was also rated good at the last inspection in 2009.

One parent said in their nomination: "I am nominating this school in this category because since my kids have been going to the school it has improved loads on the building work and the playground.

"They have made it safe for kids to play as well and to keep the kids occupied whilst playing at bream time and dinner time it's a nice school for kids to attend to my kids love it."

Kinder Haven Ltd children's day nurseries is an award-winning Bradford based family business which was established in 2002.

From its beginnings with their first nursery in a converted pub on Sticker Lane, the company has grown to five nurseries creating over 416 childcare places for children aged from birth to five years old.

Kinder Haven has locations in Bradford's Wakefield Road, Sticker Lane, Westgate Hill and Halifax Road along with a site on Waterloo Road in Pudsey. The company has recently started development on its sixth new nursery in Horsforth on Wood Lane, which is set to open in spring 2015.

The business now employs 120 staff and looks after over 650 children from more than 500 families with most of it's nurseries awarded outstanding by OFSTED.

Kinder Haven was awarded the NDNA UK nursery of the year in 2008 and this year was the Day Nurseries top 10 nursery of the year, which is voted for by parents.

The company has a strong commitment to the learning and development of children and creating a skilled team of early educators to enhance children's achievements.

At Kinder Haven staff work in partnership with parents to support children's achievements and provide experiences for the best start in life, to enable children to build independence, freedom, self esteem and be prepared for school.

They continually strive to achieve high standards of care and to be the best at what they do, meeting the individual needs of each child in their care.

Kinder Haven have individual play rooms that are age appropriate, colourful, safe and attractive and they provide a variety of activities, in spacious surroundings to encourage children to learn, increase their abilities and explore.