Teachers who are progressing their careers through study were presented with certificates by Dudley Butt MLC, a Member of the Department of Education and Children, on Friday after they passed a course with flying colours. Seventeen primary school teachers: Caryl Anstead of St John’s Primary, Jemma Armitage of Onchan Primary, Claire Ashton and Helen Cowin of Ashley Hill Primary, Sarah Burns of the Primary Modern Languages team, Voirrey Clague of Peel Clothworkers’ Primary, Dawn Curry of Ballacottier Primary, Janet Taylor of Manor Park Primary, Lisa Jackson of Scoill Ree Gorree, Sarah Lund of Laxey Primary, Kate McHugh of Ballaugh Primary, Caroline McKenna and Helen Wainwright of St Mary’s RC Primary, Amanda Reynolds of Jurby Primary, Sally Roddy of the Pre-School Assessment Centre, Charli Smith of Auldyn Infants and Sarah Cringle of Willaston Primary completed Level 2 of the DEC’s Leadership and Management Programme, which is aimed at staff with at least four years’ teaching experience who want to learn more about leading and managing a subject or an aspect of school life. The programme was run throughout the last academic year and involved four days’ training, assignments and an assessed task based on work carried out in school. Fourteen of the teachers completed an extended assignment of 4,000 words and this was validated by the University of Chester, with them gaining a Post Graduate Certificate in School Leadership and Management, a transferable qualification equivalent to a third of a Masters degree. Simon Jones, who leads the Leadership and Management Programme and is the Headteacher of Peel Clothworkers’ School, said, ‘Teachers and tutors have worked hard again this year, as the 100% pass rate and many high scores indicate.’ Martin Barrow, Director of Education with the Department of Education and Children, congratulated the teachers and thanked tutors for leading and mentoring another successful cohort. He said: ‘The programme is devised and tutored by members of the Department’s Education Improvement Service and local headteachers. This ensures that it is relevant to the Island’s schools. ‘The overall package of training makes a significant contribution to ensuring that teachers are well equipped to take on roles as deputy head teachers and headteachers in the future, should they wish to.’ Training at level 2 and level 3 (for teachers who aspire to or are working at a strategic level in schools, eg: deputy heads) is being repeated this academic year. Friday’s presentation took place at the Isle of Man College. ENDS