Top teachers honoured at awards

Pamela Badcock said teaching had been an enjoyable experience

Schools across Kent, Sussex and Surrey have paid tribute to their top teachers at the annual teaching awards.

The Teachers Award ceremony was held in Canterbury, Kent, and was attended by education professionals, children and colleagues from the finalists' schools.

Among the winners was Pamela Badcock, from Chatham Grammar School for Girls.

She received the lifetime achievement award for her 46-year career at the same school, where she works part-time after retiring as deputy head.

The 68-year-old started teaching when Harold Macmillan was prime minister, and in 1968, at the heart of the Cold War, led a school trip to Russia.

SOUTH EAST AWARD WINNERS Vanessa Shingles, Dame Janet Community Junior School, Ramsgate, Kent Timothy Costello, Ringmer Community College, Ringmer, East Sussex Stuart Kay, All Saints CE Primary School, Chatham, Kent Derek Adam, Homewood School, Tenterden, Kent Nick Wergan, Sackville School, East Grinstead, West Sussex Heather Wallace, The Abbey School, Farnham, Surrey Alison Turk, Ticehurst and Flimwell CE Primary School, Ticehurst, East Sussex Pamela Badcock, Chatham Grammar School for Girls, Chatham, Kent John Galvin, East Preston Junior School, Littlehampton, West Sussex Ann Bolt, Imberhorne School, East Grinstead, West Sussex Fishergate Community First School, Brighton, East Sussex

The Teaching Award judges said she was not just a school treasure, "but a national one".

Ms Badcock said: "I've always enjoyed it, I've never felt that I didn't want to go to work, and therefore I've just kept going because it's been such an enjoyable experience."

Another teacher honoured at the awards on Monday was Derek Adam, from the Homewood School, in Tenterden, Kent.

He received the award for head teacher of the year in a secondary school.

Under his leadership the school has grown from 1,200 students to 2,200.

Chief executive of the awards, Caroline Evans, said there had been a record number of nominations of the highest quality.