University of Oxford Inspirational Teachers Award
For the last two years, Undergraduate Admissions has run a scheme to recognise ‘inspirational teachers’ from UK schools and colleges – and fifteen teachers from around the UK have been honoured with one of the awards.
I am thrilled to have been nominated for, and honoured with, an University of Oxford Inspirational Teachers Award.[...] There can be no greater accolade for any teacher than recognition by a student (Janet Elias)
Mike Nicholson, Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Oxford, said: ‘We started the Inspirational Teachers Award as a way of recognising the importance of school or college teachers as a particular source of encouragement and inspiration to students. There is a huge amount of hard work and dedication involved in securing a place at Oxford, and the submissions we received underscored how important a role teachers play in this process – both in devoting their own time and energy to helping student applicants, and in encouraging them to persevere in their ambitions no matter what.
‘We were impressed by the high quality of this year’s submissions, and the winning teachers chosen this year were those whose passion and commitment to their students had a wide impact. These teachers inspired students in their successful applications to Oxford, but also clearly helped raise the aspirations of others, and did their best to encourage all their students to realise their own potential.’
| The 2011 winners were: |
| Angela Arden, of Havelock Academy in Grimsby; Vanwy Arif, of Wood Green Academy in Sandwell; Robert Blyth, of Dallam School in Milnthorpe; Ian Farrell, of Wilnescote High School in Tamworth; Wendy Frampton, of Glenthorne High School in Sutton; Carol Holmes, of Westhoughton High School in Bolton; and Qamar Khan, of Saltley School in Birmingham |
| The 2010 winners were: |
| Ian Cripps, of Charleston Academy in Inverness; Martin Davies, of Tytherington High School in Macclesfield; Steven Driver, of Queen Alexandra Sixth Form in North Shields; Janet Elias, of Maesteg Comprehensive in Maesteg; Kate Greene, of Cardinal Griffin in Cannock; Abbas Haghazali, of Cox Green School in Maidenhead; Ceri Anwen James, of Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg in Barry; and Agnieszka Maria Lech, of Canterbury College in Canterbury. |
All were nominated by former students currently in their first year at Oxford.
The award scheme recognises the crucial role teachers and careers advisors play in encouraging talented students in their schools or colleges. Each year, a selection of current first-year Oxford undergraduates are asked to nominate teachers or careers advisors for the award who inspired them to apply to Oxford, fostered their passion for a particular subject or supported them through the application process. The students were all from selected UK state schools or colleges with a limited history and tradition of sending students to Oxford.
The winning teachers were invited to attend an awards ceremony, held at the University of Oxford. They received book tokens to use in their school or college and a framed certificate signed by Oxford’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Hamilton. He said: ‘Oxford devotes a great deal of energy and effort to encouraging all those with the ability and potential to apply here, regardless of background – but teachers play a crucial role in supporting and raising the aspirations of the most capable students year on year throughout their careers. I hope this award will send the message that students and universities recognise how valuable the role of a supportive teacher can be.’
If you have any enquiries regarding this scheme, please contact teachers@admin.ox.ac.uk
