As you may know, The Lyceum is part of the Dukes Education family of schools. We are extremely fortunate to be part of an organisation that really values its staff and, each year, Dukes holds an Awards Ceremony to celebrate the outstanding service of its people. Last year, the event was held at Finsbury Square but this year there will be a virtual celebration instead. Each of the schools and nurseries in the group nominate people for different awards and we are delighted that Hosanna, Horacio and Mrs Taggart have made it to the shortlist. Here are some of the nice things that have been said about them:
Horacio arrives early every morning and works tirelessly throughout the day to ensure that everyone has what they need. He goes over and above the call of duty in every way and is loved by the whole school community. It is in the little things that he does that makes him remarkable – the majority of children cycle or ride scooters to school and Horacio takes great pride in ensuring that every child is paired with the correct one at the end of each day; many of them are not labelled. He works well beyond his contracted hours because he enjoys being in the school and he considers The Lyceum to be his family. His dedication to the school is second to none.
Hosanna cooks delicious food for everyone, and the children love her lunches. There are empty plates every day and parents cannot believe that their children are now all eating vegetables and a healthy diet in school, as many of them refuse to do so at home. Staff are equally well-cared for and, if a member of staff has not come down to lunch, she notices and saves them a special plate of what they like. The children have asked Hosanna to write a cookery book for their parents to use as so many of them prefer her food to their parents’ cooking! The menu is creative and varied and the food reflects the love that Hosanna has for everyone.
Mrs Taggart is exceptional at what she does. She knows how to manage the needs of the children and they respond to her so well. She is so approachable and always knows the exact thing to do if the children or her colleagues are ever in doubt. She is an important member of the team at The Lyceum and much appreciated by everyone.
Congratulations to the three of them for making it to the shortlist; our fingers are firmly crossed for each of them to win one of the much sought-after Dukes Education trophies.
The School has also been shortlisted for Most Charitable School and School of the Year:
The Lyceum recently organised a Bake-Off challenge where they raised £810 for the Bulge School in Africa. The school also regularly collects items to be sent to the local food bank, and fundraising initiatives are organised by staff and students alike. In the past, there have been initiatives from children such as Hugo, who collected money to help save animals from the fires in Australia.
An incredibly hard-working and supportive team who are putting in huge amounts of effort to support the mental health of children staff and parents throughout this pandemic. Every member of staff went above and beyond during lockdown, not missing one beat. The teachers carried on through their online classes and taught lessons from Maths, English, through to cooking and other activities. The school even continued to provide online lessons during the Easter holidays to ensure the children felt happy and supported.
