Congratulations to Wendy Wallace, Feature Writer at the TES Friday Magazine. Wendy won the Edexcel Education Journalism Award for 2001. Her series of features on the issue of raising educational standards, against the odds, made Wendy Wallace the judges' unanimous choice.

Wendy said: "I'm delighted to have won the Edexcel journalism award, both for myself and for my great colleagues at the TES. Thanks also to staff and pupils at the 'challenging' schools, which I particularly enjoy writing about; they continue to challenge my own preconceptions about education and social justice."

The journalism judging panel was chaired by Mary Riddell, the Observer columnist and included:

Peter Preston, Director of the Guardian Foundation;
Josh Hillman, the Head of Education Policy, BBC Education; and
David Goodhart, the Editor of Prospect Magazine.

"She doesn't seem to have an agenda beyond finding out what's happening and telling it straight and clear," said the panel.

They went on to say: "Wendy writes brilliantly and simply. Her work brings home what is going on at ground level in a striking way."

The first article looked at a school in the heart of Margate's B&B land where, despite high pupil turnover, an inspired staff has created a haven for some of the poorest children in Britain. Another article investigated how a head teacher in Brighton led his school out of special measures, improving behaviour and results and seeing a decline in exclusions. Sarah Bayliss, the Editor of TES Friday Magazine, said "My aim in running these kind of features is to investigate the detailed realities of school life with all its difficulties, but also to give our readers ideas and inspiration."

Commenting on the award Tina Townsend, Edexcel's Chief Executive, said: "This is the first year that we have had an award for Education Journalism. The education debate is a critical one for the future of our economy, our society and above all our young people. The media plays a crucial role in that debate and I am delighted that we have had the opportunity to recognise Wendy's contribution.

"Edexcel provides the widest range of vocational and academic qualifications because we believe that everyone has a special talent - something they are good at. Wendy's work certainly highlights this."