30 June, 2023
Ormiston Herman Academy in Norfolk has been awarded the 2023 Good Practice Award by Lifting Limits, an educational equality charity.
Lifting Limits have announced the winners of their 2023 Good Practice Award, which celebrates amazing work around gender equality in schools and nurseries across the country where Lifting Limits have provided training.
Ormiston Herman Academy has taken home the first-place prize, being commended for their work and initiatives to foster equality for all students in the school. Thanks to sponsor Penguin, the school will receive an incredible £500 to spend on filling its library with new books.
Another member of the OAT family, Packmoor Ormiston Academy in Stoke-on-Trent also received particular praise from Lifting Limits, being awarded second place and receiving £200 to spend.
Lifting Limits is a UK charity that works to deliver gender equality in and through education. Through providing expert training in schools, they equip educators with the skills and resources to recognise and correct gender bias that can go unnoticed in schools and to support pupils in challenging gender inequalities in the wider world.
Evidence shows that the limiting effects of stereotyping on children’s aspirations, behaviour, sense of ‘self’ start as early as primary school. Ormiston Herman Academy has been working with Lifting Limits to provide leaders and staff with the best resources to face this challenge and support equality for all their students.
The applications were received from schools across the country and judged by a panel of subject experts, including the Good Practice Award winner from 2022. The judges were highly impressed with the breadth of activities and creativity of initiatives implemented by Ormiston Herman Academy and said the impact of these important actions was already clearly evidenced among pupils and staff.
Lifting Limits’ head of education, Kirsty Ruthven, said: “Nothing gives us greater pleasure at Lifting Limits than seeing the positive changes schools are making to champion gender equality. The Good Practice Award celebrates and acknowledges the hard work of educators in enabling a more equal present and future for their children.
“We have been astounded by the range of good practice seen in the applications from changes to curricula, inspiring role models visiting schools, pupil-led changes, involving families and supporting whole staff teams to make a positive change. We congratulate Ormiston Herman Academy and Packmoor Ormiston Academy, but also the other applicants and wider Lifting Limits schools and organisations that are enabling this work to happen every day”.
Abbie Freel, Ormiston Herman Academy, PHSE lead said: “We are thrilled to have won the Lifting Limits Good Practice award 2023. We have high aspirations for all children at Ormiston Herman Academy and the Lifting Limits programme has enabled us to provide positive role models of both genders throughout the curriculum.
“Our work during the course of the Lifting Limits programme has focussed on the use of pre published resources and ensuring we are not reinforcing gender stereotypes through our use of these, along with ensuring we are providing opportunities for children to see a range of characters in different gender roles in books.”
Nick Hudson, Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), CEO said: “It’s amazing that Ormiston Herman Academy has been recognised for their hard work and commitment towards reaching gender equality in education.
“At OAT, we strive to realise equality and inclusivity to ensure that every single child is capable of reaching their full potential. We’re so proud of the incredible initiatives and exercises that our schools have implemented to fulfil this aim and we can’t wait to continue building on this important work.”
Lifting Limits pupil representatives from Ormiston Herman Academy also received a special invitation to visit London and the Houses of Parliament.
Category: News
Tags: Achievements, Awards, Equality, Gender equality, Lifting Limites, Ormiston Herman Academy, Packmoor Ormiston Academy
