A STOURBRIDGE educator has been named Teacher of the Year in a Secondary School at the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Awards.

Kerry Poole, PSRE subject leader at Wolverley CE Secondary School, was one of 20,000 teachers nominated for the award, which had been narrowed down to just 59 finalists.

Kerry, who lives in Stourbridge, attended an awards ceremony at London’s Guildhall where she was announced as the Gold Plato Award winner, receiving her prize from actress, Jessica Hynes.

She said she was "thrilled and overwhelmed to have won" and added: "It has come as a complete surprise.

“I love my job immensely and I’m always surprised by my students and their insightful and mature comments.

“RE is such an amazing subject to teach as it helps children make sense of things and allows them to ask why."

Kerry said she was inspired to become a teacher after being taught English at Haybridge High School, Hagley, by Caroline Hoddinott - the school’s current headteacher.

She added: "Being a teacher had always been my dream.

"Caroline was always so inspiring and spurred on my ambition."

During the awards, which celebrate and recognise outstanding educational professionals in schools across the UK, Kerry was praised for engaging learners to achieve far beyond their expectations. She was also commended for her positive outlook and can-do approach and for helping youngsters in her care to grow in confidence and self-esteem.

Bryn Thomas, Wolverley headteacher, said: “Everyone at the school is delighted for Kerry.

“She has been at Wolverley CE Secondary School for nearly ten years and in that time has become an integral part of the school.

“She inspires and always gets the best out of the students which was highlighted in this year’s GCSE results, which saw 45 per cent of her students gain an A* or A.”

The Pearson National Teaching Awards ceremony will be broadcast on BBC2 at 6pm on Sunday November 2, in a programme entitled Britain’s Classroom Heroes.