Member Article

Long Eaton teacher voted best in the East Midlands

Two East Midlands breakfast radio presenters surprised a Long Eaton teacher by interrupting her class to present her with an award.

Sam and Amy from Gem 106 stunned English and Drama teacher Becky Simpson at Wilsthorpe Community School to hand over a trophy and £1,000 for being voted the best teacher in the East Midlands in a competition run in partnership with training provider PET- Xi.

She was secretly nominated by 13-year-old pupil Lauren Riley at the school in Derby Road for being her Classroom Hero.

Lauren, who was presented with £250 and a certificate, said Miss Simpson was a fabulous teacher and she aspired to be just like her.

“I found her English lessons last year really inspiring and if you have a problem, you can go to her,” she said. “I aspire to be an English and Drama teacher as well and I look up to her as she is superb at what she does. When asked what they want to be when they grow up, some students say superman, some say a vet or a doctor but I know what I want to be when I’m older. I want to be Miss Simpson.

“Miss Simpson also organises the English Wilsthorpe Leadership Academy. This helps build up our confidence and improves my leadership skills as it gives us opportunities I wouldn’t get elsewhere, like reading with infant school students and teaching lessons at our school.

“I’m going to save half of my winnings and spend the other half to buy some presents for my family.”

Miss Simpson said she had been amazed to have been shortlisted for the final three for the public vote and thrilled to have won.

She said: “Lauren is a superstar for nominating me and for all her hard work in class. That’s why I do this job – to inspire students and if I only inspire one student then I have done my job.

“Lauren didn’t tell me she had nominated me so it was a huge surprise. When I read her nomination I thought it was beautiful and the words were so kind and thoughtful. To have inspired Lauren to write that is very special.

“Students from our Wilsthorpe Leadership Academy will decide how the £1,000 will be spent to improve the school but as an English and Drama teacher it would be great if some of it could go towards one of our shows.”

Fleur Sexton, joint managing director at PET-Xi which runs GCSE and GCSE equivalent courses through intensive programmes across the region, said Miss Simpson had been taken by surprise when Sam and Amy walked through her classroom door.

“There are some fantastic teachers in the East Midlands who we see working really hard and proving to be real Classroom Heroes,” she said.

“Everyone needs a role model and it is clear Miss Simpson has provided that for Lauren and many of the students at Wilsthorpe Community School.

“I am sure the next drama production will be even better than usual if some of the winnings are spent in that way.”

PICTURE CAPTION: From the left, Aaron Abbott (PET-Xi), Lauren Riley, Becky Simpson, Chris Bryniarski (PET-Xi), Amy and Sam from Gem 106 outside Wilsthorpe Community School

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by PET-Xi .