Award is just reward for inspiring teacher
A TEACHER in Farnham has won a national award for digital innovation and his outstanding commitment to changing the lives of children.
Joe Yates, who is a teacher at Rowledge CofE Primary School, in School Road, Rowledge, was honoured as one of 102 Pearson National Teaching silver award winners for Digital Innovator of the Year from a pool of thousands across the UK.
Mr Yates inspired his pupils by recruiting them as secret agents, learning explorers and superheroes during the school closures, and included facilitating the development of YouTube channels.
Sir Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and the former Children’s Laureate, and president of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “Thank a Teacher Day gives us all a chance, children, families, all of us, to pay tribute to those wonderful educators who change more lives than they will ever know.
“Today we say thank you to the teachers who have helped our young people navigate these most difficult of times, and who will continue to inspire countless young minds over the coming years.”
Mr Yates has now been shortlisted to win one of just 15 Gold Awards later in the year, in a programme which will be broadcast on the BBC.
The silver award winners are being honoured as part of the wider celebrations for Thank a Teacher Day, a national campaign to honour and recognise school staff for their incredible work.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson, said: “The hard work and dedication of teachers in schools, colleges and across the education sector during the pandemic has been inspiring, and while our teachers deserve the country’s recognition every year, this year’s Thank A Teacher Day is even more significant.
“The support they have provided children, young people and adults has been remarkable, and each and every one of us should be grateful for the part they have played over the past 18 months.
“Congratulations to all the silver award-winning educators, and every teacher who has gone above and beyond, inspiring and shaping our future generations to be the best they can be.”
The celebrations follow new data which shows how the previous year’s lockdowns have significantly changed how families across the country view the role of teachers.
New research from Parentkind and The Teaching Awards Trust highlights that three in four parents and carers have a newfound respect for the teaching profession following their experiences of remote learning during lockdown.
Some 74.9% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they had more respect for the work that teachers do following their family’s experiences of remote learning.
Dr Elise Ecoff, group director of education for Nord Anglia Education, said: “Congratulations to all the silver award winners on their fantastic achievement.
“The National Teaching Awards and Thank a Teacher Day is an important opportunity to recognise excellence in teaching and celebrate educators who are helping make a real difference to student learning through their passion and commitment. This has especially stood out in the last year with teachers using ingenuity, creativity and technology to inspire students.”
The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in education, 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 work with.
This year marks its 22nd year of celebrating award-winning teachers, teaching assistants, headteachers and lecturers across the UK.
Sharon Hague, senior vice-president of schools at Pearson UK, said: “After a year like no other we want to say thank you to all the incredible school staff who have kept children and young people learning despite unprecedented challenges. We hope the celebrations today show how much you are appreciated and that your hard work has not gone unnoticed nor unrecognised.”