A RYEDALE head teacher has been shortlisted for a national award.

Rob Williams, head teacher at Malton School, is one of 87 teaching professionals to be nominated for the Pearson National Teaching Award.

Mr Williams is competing for the silver award in the Headteacher of the Year in a Secondary School category.

If successful, he then has the chance to be one of 14 gold award winners, which will be announced on the BBC programme, Britain’s Classroom Heroes, to be broadcast later this year.

“It is humbling to think that members of the community I have served for 14 years felt motivated to put me forward

for this award,” said Mr Williams.

“I am grateful to them and to the Pearson Teaching Awards programme for having established a mechanism to recognise and appreciate the fabulous and dedicated professionalism of colleagues working in education across the country.

“In my case, I hope this nomination reflects the extraordinary commitment that the whole team at Malton have put in to devising and delivering our personal development programme, dedicated to an extensive range of skills based and character education classes that are advantaging the young people here.”

Mr Williams was nominated for “creating a learning environment which balances curriculum and a programme of personal development activities”.

Steve Munby, chairperson of the Teaching Award Trust, said: “Congratulations to all of the amazing staff in the running to win a silver award.

“This is fair recognition of the outstanding job they are doing and their efforts in going well beyond their role to make sure their students get every chance in life.”

The Pearson National

Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of exceptional teachers, founded in 1998 by Lord David Puttnam, to recognise the impact a teacher can have on children’s lives.

“We are delighted to support these Awards every year and to recognise and celebrate teachers for their commitment, dedication and passion,” said Rod Bristow, president of Pearson UK.

“At a time of unprecedented challenge, schools across the country are stepping up and playing a vital role for the wellbeing of our pupils and their families, and it is only right that we take this opportunity to say thank you.

“Congratulations to every one of our teachers who have been shortlisted for a silver award.”