The Pearson Teaching Awards are an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, which recognise the life-changing impact an inspirational teacher can have on young people.
Staff awarded included Assistant Head of Department for Creative Industries, Stuart Cullen along with lecturers Gemma Wray, Danielle Birkett, Peter McMullan, Richard Campbell and Mark McNeill.
Congratulating the Ballymoney-based team, Northern Regional College Principal, Professor Terri Scott said: “Our students have a learning experience second to none with highly committed and talented teaching staff who run our hugely popular and successful courses in the creative industries.
“This year all our graduating students have received offers from their first-choice universities. Our staff are worthy winners of this teaching award and the College is proud of their achievements.”
Northern Regional College runs five full-time creative industries courses in Ballymoney with up to 150 students at any one time. Most courses see 80% of students proceed to university, and former students have gone on to work for Channel 4, ITV, the BBC and Saatchi & Saatchi. Creative industries courses are also on offer at campuses in Ballymena and Newtownabbey.
Newly appointed President of the Pearson Teaching Awards, the award-winning children’s novelist, Michael Morpurgo said: “Becoming an inspirational teacher is an admirable commitment. Outstanding teaching should be celebrated by educators, pupils, parents and throughout society. With these awards we’re recognising the remarkable, often unappreciated efforts of fantastic teachers up and down the country.”
Rod Bristow, President of Pearson UK said: “Great teaching can have a huge impact on a child's education so it’s vital for us to recognise and celebrate inspirational teachers. All those receiving a silver trophy today should feel extremely proud of their achievement and I Iook forward to meeting them at the final ceremony later this year."
The Northern Regional College team will join fellow Silver Teaching Award winners at the UK final in London on 22 October. The glittering ceremony, which will be broadcast by the BBC, will name 11 winners of the Gold Plato Awards, the UK’s ‘Oscars for Teachers’.
Pearson is a leading education company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries helping individuals make measurable progress in their lives through learning. The Pearson Teaching Awards is open to every school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
