Teachers at Newark's Sir Donald Bailey Academy complete masters degree

Teachers at the Sir Donald Bailey Academy, Newark are leading by example to bring greater expertise to the classroom.

An initiative in which teachers are funded by the school to study for masters degrees has been led by the principal, Lee Hessey.

He has recently completed research on the teaching of phonics and produced a speaking and listening curriculum as part of the masters’ degree programme.

Two teachers, teaching and learning lead Sophie Longney and reception class teacher Laura Davies, have successfully completed masters degrees.

Mrs Longney’s research includes a dissertation on the impact of reading skills teaching on children’s outcomes in national tests, which has been influential in informing the approach to teaching reading at the academy. Mrs Davies’ research included communication and language in the early years.

Mr Hessey believes teaching is a masters’ level profession and the benefits of having teachers reaching a high level of professional expertise could not be underestimated.

“Teachers who are prepared to engage with research bring the technical expertise that makes a difference in the classroom,” he said.

“The leadership team is proud of the staff at Sir Donald Bailey Academy who go the extra mile to ensure they are the best teachers they can be.”

Two other teachers, head of school Louise Connolly and foundation one lead Jessie English are also studying towards masters degrees.

As part of the academy’s drive to provide outstanding development opportunities, it has also recently become a provider of teacher training.

Graduates who wish to join the programme in the next academic year can contact the school directly.