Gold standard for Patricia in school awards

Photo Neil Cross
Patsy Carr of Anchorsholme Academy Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire has been announced as a Silver Teaching Award Winner in the category, The Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year in the Pearson Teaching Awards 2016 — Photo Neil Cross Patsy Carr of Anchorsholme Academy Thornton Cleveleys, Lancashire has been announced as a Silver Teaching Award Winner in the category, The Award for Teaching Assistant of the Year in the Pearson Teaching Awards 2016

Patricia, who works at Anchorsholme Academy, was one of just 10 staff from across the UK to win a Gold Plato award at the Pearson Teaching Awards.

She was presented with her accolade in front of an audience of hundreds at the Guildhall in London.

Patricia was nominated for the award by pupils, parents and colleagues at the school. She has previously won a silver award.

The ceremony will be broadcast on BBC2 on October 30 at 6pm in the show Britain’s Classroom Heroes, where viewers will be able to find out more about the inspirational work behind Patricia’s award win.

Patricia – known as Patsy to her colleagues – has worked at Ancorsholme Academy since 2013.

She originally started as a lunchtime assistant, until a full time role came up for a full time teaching assistant.

After stepping up to help with a school’s honey bee hive project, she realised the school grounds offered great potential for outdoor learning and so soon set about transforming areas of the school so the children could learn more about wildlife and outdoor living.

A spokesman for the awards said: “Patricia constantly looks for ways to improve her knowledge and understanding about her role, and specifically how the environment can support learning in a classroom.

“To do this, she has taken up weekly sessions with a professional environmentalist, and has even registered for outdoor learning training in order to develop her  role.

“Her enthusiasm and commitment to her role, means she is often in school over weekends and holidays organising various outdoor projects.”

Hosted by the actor and comedian Hugh Dennis, the Pearson Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers and teaching.

Founded in 1999 by Lord Puttnam, they recognise the life-changing impact of an inspirational teacher on the lives of the young people they teach.

Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK, said: “Great teaching makes the biggest difference to a child’s education and it’s incredibly important that we take this moment each year to recognise that”.