Lincolnshire special educational needs teacher in the running to be Teacher of the Year

A Lincolnshire special educational needs high school teacher has been nominated in a national Teacher of the Year competition, led by Miconex and sponsored by group collecting platform GiftRound.

The Teacher of the Year competition has £1250 in Lincolnshire Gift Cards as a possible prize. The Lincolnshire Gift Card is led by Destination Lincolnshire and can be spent with over 40 local businesses in the county, including shops, restaurants and attractions, giving people an easy way to support their community and the local economy.

Miss Robinson, deputy designated safeguarding lead and Team Around the Child (TAC) lead at Thomas Middlecott Academy in Boston, Lincolnshire was nominated to be Teacher of the Year by a parent at the school, who said:

“I have two children at Middlecott Academy and Miss Robinson has been an amazing support for us. My eldest has ADHD and anxiety. I’ve been able to email Miss Robinson and say my eldest child has been struggling and Miss Robinson will be there to greet them in the morning. The support we’ve had, including the extra revision sessions and adjustments, means they’ve done really well in the recent exams.

“At secondary school level it’s very different from primary school; you basically leave them at the gate which can be difficult if they’ve gone into school worried or upset. Miss Robinson has been that link between my children, school and me. Knowing there is someone at school that cares means so much. As a parent, I’ve never felt like a pain contacting Miss Robinson, and if she can’t help, she will find someone who can.

“My youngest child experiences anxiety and Miss Robinson makes it easier for them to go to school, letting my youngest child know that she is there to talk and it has made an amazing difference. My youngest child is currently awaiting a diagnosis for their special educational needs and the SEN support at the school is great.

“Miss Robinson truly goes above and beyond to help my children, and I’m sure many others too. Her responsiveness to any issues, and her care and dedication is what helps my children to go into school. She thoroughly deserves to be Teacher of the Year.”

Mrs Hawkins, principal at Thomas Middlecott Academy said: “We are delighted to hear that Miss Robinson has been nominated as teacher of the year. She is a true inspiration to both staff and students. Miss Robinson goes over and above in her work offering continuous care and support to all those around her. She works relentlessly helping students to become the very best versions of themselves. We are extremely proud to have Miss Robinson as a part of our TMA community.”

It is free for people to nominate their Teacher of the Year and all types of teachers are eligible including primary and secondary school teachers, higher education teachers, early years teachers and special educational needs teachers in the UK. The Teacher of the Year competition runs until the 31st August 2024 and the winning teacher will be announced in September 2024.

The teacher who receives the most votes will be crowned as Teacher of the Year in the national competition. The Teacher of the Year, and their school, will each win a £500 Town & City Gift Card, such as the Lincolnshire Gift Card. One person who nominated the Teacher of the Year will also win a £250 local gift card.

Charlotte Goy, Chief Executive at Destination Lincolnshire, said: “It’s fantastic to read this wonderful nomination for Miss Robinson at one of our Lincolnshire high schools. Just reading the nomination and it is clear to see the huge impact that teachers like Miss Robinson have on young people’s lives. Please keep voting for the teacher you think deserves to be the Teacher of the Year.”

Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: “The Teacher of the Year competition is designed to shine a light on the amazing work taking place in our schools up and down the country each and every day. As we approach the end of the school year, why not take a moment to nominate a teacher that you believe deserves the accolade of Teacher of the Year, acknowledging and appreciating the job they do.”

The Teacher of the Year competition is sponsored by group collecting platform GiftRound. Founded in 2018, GiftRound gives people an easy way to collect money for various occasions, including end of term gifts. Town & City Gift Cards are available to buy on the GiftRound store.

Craig Forsythe, CEO & founder at GiftRound, said: “We’re delighted to sponsor the Teacher of the Year competition so we can bring recognition to the many hard working teachers across the UK and Ireland. Teachers’ gifts are amongst the most popular collections on GiftRound so we know how appreciated teachers are by parents and children. We hope that people take this opportunity to nominate a teacher that has made a positive impact on their child’s education or their school community, and we look forward to celebrating with the winner of the Teacher of the Year in September.”

Nominate a teacher in the Teacher of the Year competition at teacheroftheyear.co.uk