Andrew Smith

Areas of Interest

Education, Alumni

Honorary Award

Honorary Doctor of Education, 2008

Biography

Andrew is a headteacher who is known within the education sector for his gift of turning schools around, making a particularly significant contribution to children from Essex. While at Melbourne Park Primary School, Andrew brought the school out of causing concern to the local authority, turning it into a thriving hub of learning for pupils and their families. After moving to Lyons Hall Primary School in Braintree, Andrew's priorities were to remodel the curriculum for a growing school, develop the management and leadership capability, raise standards of achievement, and create links with other schools which he did to great effect.

Three years on, the school was achieving promising SATS results and a very successful OFSTED report confirming the school had developed a new and 'outstanding' attitude to learning. Andrew has ensured that pupils develop their skills for making a positive contribution to society, delivering the simple messages sometimes societies forget, like 'say sorry if something goes wrong' and 'make someone's day'. He creates 'happy schools' where children want to learn; and he encourages students training to become teachers to come and witness the positive, purposeful atmosphere so that they, in turn, can learn the optimum route to achieving confident, friendly and well-educated pupils.

In 2008, Andrew Smith was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Education.

Citation

"It is my pleasure to read the Citation for Andrew Smith for the award of Honorary Doctor of Education.

Andrew Smith is a headteacher who makes a difference to everyone he comes into contact with. First and fore mostly, he is known, admired and highly respected by the families, communities and the professional communities to which he contributes. Added to this he has forged a long and happy working association with Anglia Ruskin University's Faculty of Education from which staff and students alike have benefited.

He is known within the education sector for his gift of turning schools around, making a particularly significant contribution to children from Essex. His first experience of this was at Melbourne Park Primary School, where he brought the school out of causing concern to the local authority, turning it into a thriving hub of learning for pupils and their families which raised local community aspirations.

Then Andrew moved to Lyons Hall Primary School in Braintree, where his task was different. The school was fairly new but had suffered a series of demoralising problems in the wake of rapid expansion in pupil numbers which resulted in the loss of both previous headteacher and deputy headteacher. His priorities were to remodel the curriculum for a growing school, develop the management and leadership capability, raise standards of achievement, and create links with other schools which he did to great effect. So Andrew soon got on with the business of putting the school "back on track".

Three years on from his joining the school, the school was achieving promising SATS results and a very successful OFSTED report confirming the school had developed a new and 'outstanding' attitude to learning. Distinctive aspects of excellence included the school's integration of conflict resolution into curriculum delivery, successful approaches to identify and support children at risk of not achieving their potential and his passion for making the school curriculum relevant to children's future and the attention paid to social and life long learning skills.

Andrew has ensured that pupils develop their skills for making a positive contribution to society, delivering the simple messages sometimes societies forget, like 'say sorry if something goes wrong', and 'make someone's day', 'choose your attitude' and 'have fun/play'.

As everyone will agree, it is a sobering lesson for us all. Andrew is committed to making learning fun and his passion and energy are infectious. He creates 'happy schools' where children want to learn; and he encourages students training to become teachers to come and witness the positive, purposeful atmosphere so that they, in turn, can learn the optimum route to achieving confident, friendly and well-educated pupils.

It is for his great achievements in the field of teaching and learning, that we honour him today.

Andrew Smith, I hereby invite the Vice Chancellor to confer upon you the award of Honorary Doctor of Education."