Headteacher chats to Prince Charles about Marsden Heights success

And it gave head teacher Mr Mike Tull the chance to chat with Prince Charles!

The institute launched the Schools Programme in 2007 to recognise and reward school departments that develop inspirational ideas and activities which enhance the teaching of English, history, geography, science, maths and modern foreign languages, regardless of pupils’ backgrounds or abilities.

It is run as a membership group for school departments that choose to commit to increasing the challenge of their subject provision.

The history and geography departments of Marsden Heights Community College - which is on the Nelson/Brierfield border - received the mark in recognition of work carried out in 2010/11 that included developing a more creative approach to learning, while at the same time developing student literacy.

This approach was modelled on the experience of other schools who are members of the Prince’s Teaching Institute. This has benefited students greatly - they have enjoyed their lessons and links have been forged with other Pendle schools leading to an award for historical essay writing.

The institute’s Schools Programme is open to all state secondary schools in England. To become members, school departments must demonstrate their commitment to increasing teachers’ subject knowledge, and to furthering their students’ understanding of and enthusiasm for the subject, regardless of their background or ability.

To achieve the PTI Mark, departments then have to demonstrate they have increased the challenge within their subject curriculum; developed their staff’s own specialist subject knowledge; developed subject-based links outside school; and enthused their pupils through subject-based activities beyond the curriculum.

Mr Tull said: “We are delighted to have been awarded the PTI Mark for our history and geography departments’ innovative work, and will be proud to carry the mark on our stationery and website as evidence of our commitment to inspirational teaching.”