Cwmbran teacher nominated for top national award (From South Wales Argus)

Teacher at Fairwater High School in Cwmbran nominated for top national award

12:30pm Friday 22nd March 2013 in News By Will Bain

A POPULAR maths teacher has been nominated for a prestigious national teaching award.

Vicky Booton has taught at Fairwater High School in Cwmbran for seven years, first coming to the school as a supply teacher “before we saw how good she was and said ‘we need to keep her’,” said head teacher Helen Coulson.

Now Miss Booton has been nominated for the Pearson Secondary School Teacher of the Year award.

Mrs Coulson hailed Miss Booton’s impact on school life, both in and out of the classroom.

The head said: “Not only does she get fantastic results in the classroom, she is completely dedicated to the school.

“For example, she is progress manager of Year 11 and has brought them through the school, getting fantastic results.

“She set up and runs the school credit shop, where the younger pupils can swap their merits for prizes like sweets, pencil cases and calculators and she will be heading out on the skiing trip with the children at Easter.

“You can train people to be teachers and to teach well, but Miss Booton brings the children along with her and that is rare.

“We joke in the staff room that she is like a stick of rock and if you cracked her open it would say ‘Fairwater High School’ right through her.

“She is simply outstanding, whatever the result.”

Miss Booton, 33, said: “It’s been lovely to be nominated.

“The school is a huge part of my life and my pupils make it a really rewarding experience.

“I love this school and I wouldn’t teach anywhere else,” she said.

The judges came to the school on March 4 to assess Miss Booton and the results will be announced on May 17.