Plymouth College Economics and Business Studies teacher, Jonathan Shields, travelled to Downing Street last week to meet the Prime Minister, David Cameron. A finalist in the 2010 National Teaching Awards, Jonathan, from Linkinhorne, was invited as part of the celebrations for the 2011 event.
Also Head of Sixth Form and International Baccalaureate Diploma Co-ordinator, Jonathan is best known for being the driving force behind the school’s phenomenal success in business competitions. Since joining the school eleven years ago he has steered pupils to victory in ten national and 61 regional competitions including top spots in Young Enterprise, Make Your Mark (twice!), Student Investor and England Social Enterprise Awards in the last two years alone.
Jonathan can also be credited for the school’s impressive results in public examinations. He has seen his students take the top mark in the country in Edexcel’s Economics and Business Studies A level no less than seven times. They have also clinched the GCSE and Diploma in Financial Studies accolades twice each with the number coming in the top twenty for all three hitting the 40 mark.
A renowned commentator on financial literacy among young people, Jonathan has been interviewed on the subject by the media on a number of occasions and is the co-author of a text book, teacher’s guide and CD ROM for the latest GCSE Business Studies syllabus.
In 2009 he was awarded the Enterprise South West award for his overall contribution to enterprise education in a secondary school, and in 2010 he was given an Outstanding Achievement award by Devon Young Enterprise in recognition of his work as link teacher with Plymouth College national winners, Affinity.
Jonathan was nominated for the teaching award by a group of his students who said at the time: “What’s great about Mr Shields is that his door is always open and his support doesn’t just stop at the end of the school day. He works many extra hours helping with projects and taking us to events all over the country. His passion for the subject really motivates everyone in the class and we all have the greatest respect for him.”