New College Leicester’s business development manager, Wayne Allsopp, has scooped an award at the prestigious Education Business Awards.
Wayne was named as Business Development Manager of the Year at the awards ceremony, which took place in London on Wednesday 14 June. Wayne was presented with his award by former Team GB Athlete Donna Fraser.
It was a case of double success for New College on the night. In addition to Wayne Allsopp winning his award, New College Leicester was also named as a finalist in the ‘School Sports Award’ category. This is in recognition of its excellent sports provision, including its facilities, external partnerships, and its focus on making sport accessible for all.
Wayne is the driving force behind New College’s sports provision and commercial strategy and everyone at New College is delighted that his tireless work in raising standards of provision and outcomes for children at the school has been recognised by his industry peers.
Set in New Parks in Leicester, an area of above average levels of social deprivation, New College Leicester places itself at the heart of the local community through sport. Following significant investment and established community partnerships, more than 2,500 people now use its outstanding sports facilities weekly. This includes one of the best gymnastics facilities in the UK, a purpose-built outdoor cycle track, gym, sports halls and a café that is open to the public.
The school also recognises that health and wellbeing are essential if students are to do well at school. Given that negative health outcomes are prevalent for many in New Parks, the school has placed sports, health, and wellbeing at the core of its strategy to help provide a rounded education and improve the lives of its students.
It is this commitment to getting the New Parks community active, both its students and local people, that led to New College being named as a finalist and Wayne winning his category.
The School Business Manager Award is given to an individual whose business leadership skills and commercial outlook have had a positive impact on the school’s budgeting and strategic decision making.
Wayne’s ability to realise the link between a strong sports offering, its benefits to local people and the positive commercial impact this brings to the school is one of the reasons he has been shortlisted.
Wayne says: “I am thrilled to have won the award and that the hard work the team at New College has put into improving our school has been recognised. We are proud of New College and what we are achieving for the New Parks community, so its fantastic to know our work is considered to be amongst the best in the UK and something others may look to replicate to improve outcomes for children.
“We are extremely proud of our asset-based community development approach to sport. Working in partnership to develop excellent sporting facilities that drive benefits for both the community and school is delivering tangible results for thousands of people.
“For the vast majority of people who can only dream of participating in an Olympics or a World Cup the school is working hard to make sport accessible for all of them. What Loughborough University is doing for elite sport, New College Leicester is doing for school and community sport, and we are proud to have been recognised for that at a national level.”
Liz Kendall MP, who supported the school’s application, says: “The school serves a community that faces significant levels of social disadvantage, deprivation and child poverty.
“Staff work tirelessly to overcome these barriers and the use of sport has been a particularly effective tool to boost aspiration, promote healthier lifestyles and encouraging parents and the wider community to get involved in the activities of the school. Sport is used to help unleash children’s wider talents, showing them if they work hard they can be successful.
“In other words, it acts as a hook, inspiring students to achieve better results in other subjects. The links New College have created with local primary schools enable this work to begin early, which is crucial to improving the life chance of children in this part of my constituency.
“I fully endorse New College Leicester’s nomination for these awards. It sends a strong message to the many unsung heroes, both at the school and in the community, who rightly deserve recognition for their tireless effort.”
This is the second time in as many months that New College Leicester has enjoyed award success. In May, Edwina Maguire, the school’s English as an Additional Language and Teaching and Learning Lead, was named as a finalist in the prestigious Times Educational Supplement (TES) Awards.
