Passionate Chesterfield primary school teacher named among best in country

Alex Bramley, teacher at Spire Junior School, has been honoured with a silver award for ‘Teacher of the Year in a Primary School’ in the Pearson National Teaching Awards 2020.

The dedicated teacher was recognised for his outstanding commitment to changing the lives of the children he works with every day.

Among Alex’s achievements include working with the class to achieve the Woodland Trust Award, as well as buying a broken vending machine, repairing it and filling it with books as rewards for pupils, and organising a ‘Pride of Chesterfield’ awards with the school year sixes.

He is now in the running for one of just 14 gold awards later in the year – in a programme that will be broadcast on the BBC.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is 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 work with.

Rod Bristow, president of Pearson UK, said: “Congratulations to Alex for his commitment, dedication and passion for his work.

"Despite the incredible challenges faced over the past few months, school staff have risen to the occasion time and again.

“It is so important to recognise and celebrate teachers, teaching assistants and lecturers for the impact they have on our young people every year.”

Michael Morpurgo, celebrated author and president of the Teaching Awards Trust, said: “Over the past year, we have, all of us, come to appreciate and respect the value of teachers. They have so often been taken for granted.

"Not any more. Parents know now what it takes to teach, and teach well, and how much commitment, dedication and enthusiasm and knowledge and understanding, yes – and patience.

“Children know it too, if they didn’t before. So many missed their teachers as well as their friends. We all honour them. Let’s now praise them, wish them well and above all, thank them.”