The outstanding work and commitment of Louise Tucker, who teaches at Maidstone Grammar School for Girls, was recognised at the 16th Design and Technology Association Excellence Awards, held on Friday 11th March at The Institution of Engineering and Technology situated on the banks of the River Thames in London.
Louise was presented with the Subject Leadership Award by Prof. Mark Miodownik, Professor of Materials and Science at UCL and a regular presenter on BBC TV’s “Everyday Miracles” and broadcaster and writer involved in productions – including the award-winning “Stuff Matters” – relating to science and engineering issues.
Richard Green MA, Chief Executive of the Design and Technology Association, says: “Louise is to be congratulated on her well-deserved award. She and other winners on the night are to be celebrated for their contributions to furthering teaching and learning in the subject of Design and Technology in the classroom, which can often be the catalyst for students wanting to be engineers and designers.”
The glittering Awards night saw presentations made under 8 categories, a number of which were sponsored, with delegates from Britain and overseas in attendance. Louise comments: “I am delighted to have been awarded the Subject Leadership Award, especially with so many equally deserving peers. D&T has been and continues to be my life. The materials and technology we use in D&T continually evolve but what remains constant is the enthusiasm of the students and their creativity. I would like to thank my Headteacher, Miss Deborah Stanley for supporting the subject.”
The 16th award ceremony follows on from the recent launch of the D&T Association’s 10-minute video “What is D&T – and why do we need it?” that can be seen at www.data.org.uk. Aimed at students, parents and employers, the video demonstrates the importance of the subject of D&T in a balanced curriculum and how it is a modern, creative and challenging subject. It also reveals why – with the current skills’ shortages in the creative, manufacturing and engineering industries – it is a valuable subject for all young people to study.
“Parents, at the very least, want their children to undergo a positive education experience so they can make something of themselves,” continues Richard Green. “Louise Tucker and her fellow award-winners have gone above and beyond what might be expected in delivery of D&T teaching and, in raising the bar high, they have equipped their pupils to not only make something of themselves but also to design and make other things too. The youngsters in her classes will have been inspired by Louise’s commitment and vision and learned D&T skills that many employers in the design engineering and manufacturing sectors will find very attractive.”
Elite industry names from the “Best of British”, including Dyson, JCB, Williams F1, Brompton and a host of other household names, are supporting the D&T Association’s ongoing “Designed and Made in Britain …?” campaign, which highlights the importance of the subject in a 21st century curriculum. All are at the pinnacle of their respective industries and are crying out for the next generation of school leavers who will be capable of problem-solving and delivering innovative skills.
Miss Louise Tucker has worked at MGGS since September 2008 as Head of the Design Technology Department. Her specialism is Product Design and Food Technology. Louise studied at Greenwich University completing a BA (Hons) in Design Technology and a HND in Food and Consumer Management at Birmingham College of Food. Miss Tucker is an Accredited Lead Practictioner with the SSAT Specialist Schools and Academies Trust. In addition to having work published shortly for Zig-Zag Education, Louise also writes exemplar exam papers and works extensively for the examination board AQA.