TWO decades of success in sponsoring outstanding schools and raising standards in education have been celebrated at the first colleague conference of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation.

Staff spoke of their pride and honour at being part of an organisation that has developed four highly regarded schools in the North of England.

The conference, held at The Sage Gateshead, brought together 800 staff and guests for a day of inspirational presentations, entertaining performances by students and awards for exceptional colleagues.

Sir Peter Vardy, founder of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation (ESF), opened the event – entitled 20:20 Vision: 20 Years of Success, 20 Years of Vision – by thanking everyone who had contributed to the schools’ success since the opening of Emmanuel College in Gateshead two decades ago.

As well as celebrating the last 20 years, the conference also cast a vision for the future development of ESF, with Sir Peter renewing his aim to sponsor seven schools educating a total of 10,000 children.

Former schools inspector and author Gervase Phinn, who compered the event, praised ESF’s work and its ‘all children matter’ philosophy.

He said: “Unless you follow a vision in education you should leave it alone. Children are too precious to be tarnished by rusty cynicism.

“We can’t affect a child’s tomorrows but we can do something about a child’s todays.”

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