Gainsborough school sets the silver standard with teaching award win

The Gainsborough school win in the category School of the Year – Making a Difference, which is supported by Future First

Selected from thousands of nominations. Benjamin Adlard is one of just 65 winners that were celebrated last week on Thank A Teacher Day last week as the national Teaching Awards marks its 20th year of celebrating excellence in education.

The prestigious Silver Pearson Teaching Awards trophies are presented to outstanding teachers, teaching assistants, head teachers and lecturers.

The Pearson Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord Puttnam to recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on the lives of the young people they teach.

Benjamin Adlard will now join fellow Silver Award winners, along with three Scottish Education Award winners and three winners of the Professional Teaching Awards Cymru in Wales, at the 20th UK Ceremony of the Pearson Teaching Awards in central London on October 21.

There, they will find out which schools have won one of just 12 Gold Plato Awards the UK’s ‘Oscars for teachers’.

The October ceremony will also be filmed and broadcast by the BBC as a showcase of excellence in education.

Previous award presenters have included former prime ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair, actors Jenny Agutter, Alison Steadman and Sheila Hancock and sports and TV personalities including Shirley Ballas, Helen Glover, Brendan Cole and Nadiya Hussain.

Thank A Teacher Day was also a chance for members of the public to thank teachers who have made a difference in their lives.

Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and former children’s laureate, and President of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “The best we can do is to pass on to children all that we know and love and mean every word.

“I think above all else, a teacher should be a friend, and that’s not an easy thing to do when there are 35 children out there.

“With these awards we are shining a light on these inspirational individuals whose efforts and commitment so often go uncelebrated.”

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, added: “A huge congratulations to all those receiving a silver trophy.

“They should feel extremely proud of their achievements and join an inspirational group of Teaching Award winners from the past two decades.

“It’s an honour for Pearson to support these Awards each year.

“It’s so vital to recognise and celebrate those in the teaching profession, for their commitment to education and for the impact they have on young people’s lives.”