Paul Wagstaff, the Behaviour Support Manager at Wodensborough Ormiston Academy, part of Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), has been recognised as part of the New Year Honours.
Major Wagstaff, who has worked at the academy for five years, has received a commendation from the Royal Navy for his work establishing a Royal Marine Cadet Detachment at Wodensborough Ormiston Academy and his voluntary work as a Major in the Sea Cadets.
The cadets, led by Major Wagstaff, meet twice a week to learn drills, military map reading, first aid fieldcraft, team building and problem solving. Alongside the biweekly sessions, the detachment also attends weekend and summer training camps, where they meet other cadets from across the country and take part in military exercises. These camps have also given students the opportunity to experience helicopter flights.
The detachment Major Wagstaff has set up has been a fantastic success and now has more students participating than ever before. Going forward, Major Wagstaff hopes the detachment will continue to grow and open up more students to new experiences.
Wodensborough Ormiston Academy’s staff and students have marked this tremendous achievement with a celebration for Major Wagstaff that highlighted the dedication and positive impact he has had within the academy and across the wider community.
Leigh Moore, Principal at Wodensborough Ormiston Academy, said:
“We are so proud of Paul for this fantastic achievement and feel lucky to have him at our academy. Being honoured by the Royal Navy and His Majesty the King is a wonderful testament to his hard work and dedication to our students. I want to say a huge congratulations and thank you to Paul for all of his fantastic efforts, especially in recent years.
“The work he has done in establishing a Royal Marine Cadet Detachment here has been incredibly successful. This is evident in the high engagement from students, who have greatly enjoyed the afterschool sessions, alongside the weekend trips and summer camps.”