Sheffield Girls’ teacher shortlisted for Subject Lead of the Year in national TES Awards

We’re delighted to announce that this week our Head of Business and Economics, Stephen Coote, has been shortlisted for the ‘Subject Lead of the Year’ in the prestigious TES Schools Awards 2023. The awards, hosted annually in June in London, recognise the very best teachers and schools from UK state and independents, including early years settings, primary and secondary.

Mr Coote has been working in education for 20 years and has led our Business and Economics department since 2014. The department has a reputation for exceptional teaching standards alongside extensive co-curricular activities, allowing pupils in every year group to apply their learning outside the classroom. Each year, students take part in a range of competitions and activities, both regionally and at national level, including the IFS Student Investor Challenge and Young Financial Journalist competition,  the IEA Monetary Policy essay competition and the Bank of England’s Innovation Challenge. This year, for the first time, our Year 12 Economics students took part in the ‘YES! Young Economic Summit’ in Hamburg and they scooped the top international team prize. 

Mr Coote encourages enterprise amidst our students and uses his own skills and experience to support them to grow and develop their own businesses, for example in the Young Enterprise Tenner Challenge in Year 7, the Peter Jones ‘Tycoon’ competition in Year 8, the BiG Challenge in Year 9 and Young Enterprise in Year 12. He also augments his teaching with regular academic trips and visits, just recently returning from a trip to New York. 

Mr Coote also works as an A Level Economics examiner, which he sees as vital in maintaining excellent standards of teaching. In summer 2022, every student completing A Level Economics at the school achieved an A*. 

Reflecting on news of his shortlisting, Stephen said, “I’m incredibly proud to have been shortlisted for this award. I feel so lucky to work with such talented and dedicated colleagues who work so hard to provide amazing opportunities for our students. Leading Business and Economics at the School is a real privilege. We encourage our students to have sky high aspirations, and they continuously exceed our expectations. It’s an absolute pleasure to watch them embrace their learning.  This nomination really reflects the way our whole school community strives for excellence in all we do.”

Nina Gunson, Head at Sheffield Girls’ added, “I am absolutely delighted to see Stephen shortlisted for this prestigious award. The popularity and success of Business and Economics at Sheffield Girls’ has gone from strength to strength under his guidance and leadership. Our students are inspired by their learning in the classroom and by the numerous opportunities Stephen provides each year for them to extend and apply their learning beyond the curriculum.   Our pupils are consistently achieving top grades at both GCSE and A Level, and talk about how much they enjoy their studies, which is testament to Stephen’s consistent hard work and commitment.”

Tes editor and chief judge of the Tes Schools Awards, Jon Severs, said, “With these awards we honour the education community, whom we have served for over 112 years. This year has seen some incredibly high quality entries. So every teacher and school who has been named in this shortlist should be very proud – it’s a fantastic achievement.”

The Tes Schools Awards Winners will be announced on Friday 23rd June at a gala ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.