Headteacher consultant Dave Whyley will soon have enough accolades to fill a trophy room. The mobile learning expert who leads Wolverhampton's ground breaking Learning2Go handhelds project - for which he was rewarded with an honorary doctorate of technology by Wolverhampton University - has won the Lifetime Achievement award in the inaugural Home Access Awards 2009.
Organised and managed by the e-Learning Foundation, the awards were conceived to recognise, reward and celebrate good practice in the implementation and development of the government’s Home Access programme.
Entries were open to individuals, schools working to extend access to learning through ICT at home, Local Authorities and suppliers. Winners were announced at the organisation’s ‘Engaging with Home Access’ conference held in London.“The path towards universal access for schoolchildren has not been easy and we still have a long way to go,” said Valerie Thompson e-Learning Foundation’s chief executive. “However, there are some unsung heroes in the education sector who have done the hard bit – proving and then improving approaches that work. So we wanted our awards to recognise the hard work, passion and sometimes sheer put in by our early adopters and innovators.“
There were a total of eight categories including the Lifetime Achievement award, which was included at the last minute when the judges noticed the impressive list of digital champions nominated in the Most Outstanding Personal Contribution category. They thought that professional and personal crusade to extend access to ICT as widely as possible deserved a special kind of recognition.
Commenting on Dave Whyley's award, the judges paid tribute to his enormous contribution to education and his single minded determination to give thousands of children access to ICT, and to win over teachers: "He is a man with a mission. He has constantly maintained an incredible level of personal commitment, well above and beyond the call of duty. He doesn't take no for an answer and has been the inspiration behind so many successful programmes now running across the country".
Winners of the Home Access Awards 2009
Home Access Awards 2009
Most Innovative Local Authority
Winner: Brent Local Authority
Most Supportive Supplier
Winner: Virgin Media
High Commended: Toshiba
Most Innovative Project
Winner: Anson Primary school, Cricklewood
Highly commended: The Children’s School at Great Ormond Street, London
Highly commended: The Ashley School, Lowestoft
Most Successful Parental Partnership
Winner: Central Foundation Girls’ School, Bow
Highly commended: Marlborough Special School, Sidcup
Primary School of the Year
Winner: Preston Park School, Wembley
Secondary School of the Year
Winner: St Paul’s Catholic College, Burgess Hill
Most Outstanding Personal Contribution
Winner: John Goodey, headteacher, St John Baptist (Southend) Primary School
Highly commended: David Dixon, headteacher, Bowbridge Primary School
Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Dave Whyley, headteacher consultant, Wolverhampton Local Authority
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