TA of the Year Competition
Our annual competition is the cherry on the top of National Teaching Assistants’ Day. Take a look at the winning TAs of the Year from primary schools, secondary schools and special schools.
#NationalTADay
2022 TA of the Year Winners
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Kelly Oatway
Primary TA of the Year
John Perryn Primary School, London W3
Kelly supports the children with their emotional well-being as well as supporting them academically daily. She looks after the library and our school chickens – even in the holidays – organises events and ensures that no child is left behind in their learning and at playtime. Over the years, Kelly has been heavily involved with the PTA, attended residential visits and educational trips as well as organising the Year 6 leavers’ prom and she also resources their production with props and scenery. She also runs several after school clubs including cooking and gardening and ran the breakfast club for a long time too. She puts up displays around the school constantly and supports every teacher whenever they need ideas for their own. Every child in the school knows Ms. Oatway and every person respects and cares for her.
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Roy McQuade
Secondary TA of the Year
Bradford Bolling College, Bradford BD3
Students’ abilities and needs vary but Roy possesses superior adaptability skills to cater for everybody who he works with. Roy attends school every day with a smile and is always attentive to the students’ needs as well as using his initiative to accommodate any last-minute changes.
Roy volunteered to support the forest school activities run for all new starters in school. Roy would attend and support the students regardless of the weather or the size or needs of the groups. The project lasted a full year and was a huge success thanks to Roy’s passion and determination.
Roy encapsulates of our school culture of teamwork and resilience, and we are very fortunate to have Roy work with our children.
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Jo Hart
SEN TA of the Year
Grangetown Primary, Middlesbrough, TS6
Jo makes the children at Grangetown Primary love coming to school! The children know that each morning, they will be greeted with a big welcoming smile and have the support they need throughout the day. Despite diagnoses of moderate to severe learning delays, children who work with Jo make exceptional progress. Jo makes our children feel loved, safe and capable of achieving amazing things every day.
Jo has run booster sessions to support children to catch-up after the COVID pandemic.
How to get involved
TA of the Year Winners
Meet some of our TA heroes from previous years
Our 2020 Winners
Julia Sullivan
Secondary TA of the Year
Ragini Patel
Primary TA of the Year
Charlotte Webber
SEN TA of the Year
Dylan Allen
TA of the Year
Carol Ashford
Social Media TA of the Year
Carol, a truly remarkable and heroic TA, was nominated by her colleague Jessica Hand. During lockdown she continual checked in, supported and went above and beyond to help our school children- even helping to give her year 6 children the send-off they deserved!
Our 2019 Winners
Antonia Todd
Secondary TA of the Year
Antonia is a caring and dedicated individual who has acted as a key adult for some of our most vulnerable and complex students. She understands their needs, and helps them to understand themselves better and is always there as a calm and collected safe person when needed.
Punam Sharma
Primary TA of the Year
Punam was nominated by Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy in Bradford, who applauded the positivity and encouragement she shows to all pupils.
Janet Skillen
SEN TA of the Year
Ultimately Jan is the sort of colleague every workplace needs. Her glass is always half-full. She sees and seeks the best in everyone – children and adults. Her enthusiasm and passion is such a valuable resource. And we love her. Thank you, Jan.
Our 2018 Winners
Jodie Davis
Primary TA of the Year
Jodie has a fantastic relationship with the parents and outside agencies involved with her key children, she takes the time to build relationships, listen and understands their views to make sure that school is positive and welcoming for them. There really is no end to her commitment for the children in our class.
Jacqueline McQuade
Secondary TA of the Year
Jacqueline was nominated by Regent High School in London for her crucial work running literacy interventions for students. She is the lead TA for literacy interventions for students across the school which involves managing a team of TAs who work on a one-to-one and small group basis with students whose literacy is significantly below their age-related expectation.
Francesca Bennet
SEN TA of the Year
Fran is Little Miss Sunshine, everywhere she goes she spreads light and happiness. Staff in any school may be the most expensive resource, but if staff are like Fran, every single penny is well spent.
Our 2017 Winner
Jane Middleton
TA of the Year
“Jane has a tremendous work ethic. She works tirelessly to ensure that students who require exam access arrangements are allocated exam rooms with TA Staff”
Our 2016 Winner
Lindsey Pepper
TA of the Year
“Lindsey supports students with organising support and provision before school starts, she supervises CHAT support during lunchtimes and breaks and she stays after school to help anyone at all who needs help… Not to mention the lovely cakes she bakes for the other TA staff too!”
Our 2015 Winner
Aaron Critoph
TA of the Year
“Aaron has worked relentlessly to support a pupil with complex needs. There has been times when we have felt that we were not able to meet the pupils needs, but Aaron has consistently thought and created innovative approaches to motivate and support the pupils.”
Our 2014 Winner
Dave Higgs
TA of the Year
“Dave will speak to and visit families and is always available to parents at the end of the school day. I spend my management life apologising to Dave for impacting on his PPA to assist pupils or organise events”
Our 2013 Winner
Bev Hodgins
TA of the Year
“Her extensive knowledge of the children is extraordinary. She enthusiastically plans and leads whole school activities on special occasions”
Our 2012 Winner
Christine Hussey
TA of the Year
“Christine never goes an extra mile; she runs a marathon every day for the children in her care.”
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Sue Jennett
Social Media TA of the Year
Suffolk