The cream of the capital’s educators gathered on Friday (June 14) for the presentation of the inaugural London Teacher of the Year Awards.
The awards ceremony took place at No 4 Hamilton Place, the Mayfair headquarters of the Royal Aeronautical Society.
A total of 35 awards were presented, with overall winners announced for London as a whole in 10 different categories, as well as local winners for the city’s different areas.
The overall winners were:
NQT/Trainee Teacher of the Year: Elizabeth Wells, Rushey Green Primary School, Catford
Business Manager of the Year: Georgia Bissett, Shenstone School, Bexley
Sports Teacher of the Year: Paul Madden, Broadwater Primary School, Wandsworth
Well-being Champion of the Year: Ann Armstrong, All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham
Primary School Teacher of the Year: Lucy Simpson, Christ Church C of E Primary School, Tower Hamlets
Secondary School Teacher of the Year: Florence Venables-Chis, Dunraven School, Streatham
Team of the Year: New Horizons Federation Inclusion careers and transition Team, New Horizons Federation, Bexley
Stem Teacher of the Year: Preetmal Poonith, Barnhill Community High, Hillingdon
Teacher of the Year for Raising Aspiration: Courtney Hosp, Fulham Cross Girls’ School and Language College
And Head Teacher of the Year: Kerry Shilling, Selborne Primary School, Ealing
After picking up her head-teacher award, Ms Shilling said: “I’m honoured to win this award from Inspire Schools today.
“It’s a privilege being a head teacher, and I work with an inspirational team of colleagues who make a difference to children’s lives every single day.”
London Secondary School Teacher of the Year Florence Venables-Chis said: “I think that teaching is a job that you go into without expecting any thanks, and we don’t think about the bigger picture sometimes. So it’s really nice to be recognised for such an award.” And Courtney Hosp, winner of the London raising-aspiration award, said: “I’m really honoured to be here tonight. Even to be nominated for something like this is quite incredible.”
The awards were organised by Inspire Schools.
The educational charity’s chief executive, Simon Dolby, said: “It was a fantastic evening with a very enthusiastic and generous audience of winners and their guests celebrating their own and each others’ achievements.
“All of the winners thoroughly deserved their awards. These teachers and support staff really do amazing work expanding the horizons and opportunities of young people across the capital, and the whole of society owes them a huge debt.
