Castercliff teacher receives Pearson National Teaching silver award

An inspiration local primary school teacher has proved her class after she was named as one of 80 Pearson National Teaching Award Silver Award winners across the country.
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Rebecca Murton, a teacher at Castercliff Primary Academy, was honoured with a Silver Award in the Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School for outstanding commitment to changing the lives of the children they work with every day.

Rebecca is Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) leader and class teacher for one of the two EYFS classes at the school in Marsden Hall Road, Nelson.

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She has worked at Castercliff for three years and in this time completely overhauled the learning environment for its youngest children and had a huge impact on their learning and our curriculum.

Rebecca Murton, a teacher at Castercliff Primary Academy, was honoured with a Silver Award in the Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary SchoolRebecca Murton, a teacher at Castercliff Primary Academy, was honoured with a Silver Award in the Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School
Rebecca Murton, a teacher at Castercliff Primary Academy, was honoured with a Silver Award in the Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School

Rebecca said: “I was speechless to learn I’d won the Silver Award. Our children were really excited when it was announced in assembly that I’d won; they have enjoyed holding the trophy and because we’ve been learning about the Queen and jubilee, they presented me with a crown!

“I work at an amazing school with a really supportive team and it is thanks to all of them that I’ve won this award.

“I’m now excited to meet the other Silver winners at an afternoon tea in London and then find out who the Gold Award winners are.”

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Rebecca excels in collaborating with all other staff and the wider community, including with external agencies. She is calm, approachable and a very popular member of staff who gets on with whatever is needed to drive progress in a climate of significant pressures on schools.

As a Silver Award winner, Rebecca has now been shortlisted to win one of just 16 Gold Awards later in the year. Recognition of this once in a lifetime achievement will be broadcast on the BBC’s The One Show as part of a week-long celebration of teaching, which sees famous faces honour award winners every night in the run up to the ceremony.

The Silver Award winners are being honoured as part of the wider celebrations for national ‘Thank a Teacher Day’.

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in education, 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.

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Anita Ghidotti, chief executive of Pendle Education Trust, said: "We are delighted that Rebecca has won this Silver Award. She is an amazing part of our family, not only at Castercliff Primary Academy, but also working with the other primary and secondary schools in our Trust.

"Her impact was summed up by a colleague who nominated her for one of our Shine Awards, saying she doesn't realise just what an impact she has on our staff and children. On behalf of all of our staff, children and families, we'd like to say a huge congratulations to Rebecca, you absolutely deserve this award."

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: “Congratulations to Rebecca Murton on this incredible achievement, and for the hard work and dedication which led up to it. Winning this award is impressive, well-deserved and shows Rebecca’s commitment to helping students achieve their full potential.”