WGS Shortlisted ISOTY 2023

WGS shortlisted for Independent School of the Year Award!

We are thrilled to announce that Wolverhampton Grammar School has been shortlisted for the prestigious Independent School of the Year award in the category of Outstanding Educational Partnerships, having been recognised amongst hundreds of schools from across the country.

The driving force behind these successful partnerships is WGS Head Librarian, Zoe Rowley. Having witnessed the challenges faced by state schools in providing ample resources for reading and fostering a love for books, Zoe is determined to bridge the gap and extend meaningful opportunities to local schools. With only 1 in 7 primary schools nationwide having their own library, Zoe has tapped into the resources available at WGS to make a positive impact on the community.

This year marks 9 years of outstanding partnership work aiming to inspire a love of reading amongst local school children. During that time, over 82,000 children have been engaged in-person and virtually with more than 216 events. This year Wolverhampton Grammar has hosted 19 author events reaching 1,600 local pupils. A highlight was a World Book Day event with Cressida Cowell for 750 children from 20 schools, who were all gifted a signed copy of her latest book.

In addition to attending author events, children are encouraged to showcase their own views and abilities through various competitions organised by WGS. These include the Wolverhampton Children’s Book Award, where young readers vote for their favourite books, and the Wolverhampton Young Authors’ Prize, where pupils from schools across the region submit their original stories.

WGS also plays a crucial role in empowering state school librarians and literacy leads through its School Librarians’ Network.

A list of Finalists will be published at the beginning of September, with the winners announced at an awards ceremony in October. We wish Zoe and her colleague Duncan McAllister the best of luck for a truly deserved award.

For more information about how Wolverhampton Grammar School can support your school or organisation, please contact Zoe Rowley by email or telephone: 01902 421326.