TIME for the big one, the one that every school wants to win, the coveted School of the Year award.

First of all, let’s just say every place that offered education in 2020 could be in the running, they have all managed to somehow come out of the other side.

Although there was one school in the district who did stand out above the rest and that was Coop Academy Beckfield in Tyersal.

Headteacher Richard Ireland has done a phenomenal job to completely transform what he inherited back in 2019.

New staff were employed, and remote learning was grasped in a period of vast improvement.

Richard added: “The school was in a mess a few years ago. We appointed 14 new members of staff in my first term.

“I think I reflected at the end of that by saying it has got to get easier from here on.

“From September to March, we made loads of progress then the pandemic hit.

“We have not had a full year yet inside school. We have a settled team, and it will be nice next year to see everyone working at the school.”

Now, the future looks really bright for Richard, his team, and their pupils and community.

“If we have been able to achieve what we have in a pandemic, then the sky is the limit when we get back to normal.

“Anybody who works in a school does an amazing job.

“People had a lot of personal things going on at the same time, it was not a straightforward world we were living in.

“The fact they never lost sight of what was important to the school, it is just a reflection of the sort of people they are.

“Nothing is ever too much trouble for them, they help each other out, and understand the culture we are trying to build here at the school.

“Our children are our biggest asset.”

Silsden Primary and Oastlers were the unlucky runners up on the night.