Zouch Academy has been recognised on the national stage after being named Early Years Setting of the Year at one of the education sector’s most prestigious awards ceremonies.
The Tidworth school, part of The White Horse Federation (TWHF), received the accolade at the Tes Schools Awards, often referred to as the “Oscars of Education”, during a ceremony held at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on 19 June.
The award recognises the exceptional quality of the academy’s Early Years provision and marks another milestone for a school that has already attracted national attention for its work with young children.
The White Horse Federation, which operates schools across Wiltshire and the South of England, was also shortlisted for the highly competitive Trust of the Year award in the category for organisations with 10 schools or more.
Judged by a panel of education leaders and sector specialists, the Tes Schools Awards celebrate excellence across both state and independent education throughout the UK.
The latest success follows Zouch Academy’s recent selection by the Department for Education as one of only five schools in the South West to lead a new national programme aimed at improving reception year education. The school was recognised as a Rise Best Start in Life School as part of the initiative.
Dr Dan Nicholls, Chief Executive of The White Horse Federation, praised staff for their achievement.
“Huge congratulations to Nina and the team at Zouch – this is an amazing achievement for the whole team and thoroughly deserved,” he said.
“We are also very proud to have been shortlisted for Trust of the Year. This reflects the collective effort of colleagues across the organisation, who are completely committed to inspiring lives with greater opportunity and choice.
“We look forward to continuing to build on these successes to serve local communities.”
Executive Headteacher Nina Johnson said the award reflected the dedication and expertise of the school’s Early Years team.
“We are incredibly proud to have been named EYFS Setting of the Year,” she said.
“It is extremely important that we ensure our children are school ready, settle well, build outstanding relationships and truly have the very best start possible, especially in a school where many pupils join us in different year groups due to their parents serving in the military.”
She highlighted the school’s focus on creating engaging learning opportunities and maintaining high expectations for every child.
“We endeavour to ensure that each day, and each session, our youngest children have an invitation to learn so that learning opportunities become irresistible to our children,” she said.
“We know that high expectations along with the right environment and quality-first teaching have the most impact on the beginning of our children’s learning journey. Our children are safe, happy, well cared for. They learn exceptionally well and make fantastic progress from their starting points.”
For Zouch Academy, the award represents national recognition of a philosophy that places children’s earliest experiences at the heart of their educational journey – and provides further evidence of the growing reputation the school has built both within Wiltshire and beyond.
