[A] Whitehaven Academy teacher was the MP for Copeland’s guest of honour at a Downing Street event celebrating the ‘hard work and dedication’ of teachers across the country.
This week, Mrs Harrison attended the teachers’ celebration reception at No 10 inviting along special guest, Whitehaven Academy assistant head and Head of Science, Technology & Engineering, Tim Bradbury.
The event was hosted by Prime Minister, Theresa May to thank teachers for all their hard work in nurturing the next generation.
More than 100 teachers from across the country attended the event with their MP, along with Education Secretary, Damien Hinds.
Mrs Harrison, said: “All of us remember a teacher in our lives, someone who not only taught a curriculum but also mentored, inspired and nurtured. Choosing just one teacher was incredibly difficult, from the fifty schools in my constituency. Mr Bradbury’s story – being encouraged himself to go back to university and qualify to teach, by his fellow staff and students, is a wonderful lesson for us all.
“Mr Bradbury’s excitement whilst attending the event was infectious, he beamed from ear to ear the whole evening and really did Whitehaven Academy and the schools of Copeland very proud.”
Mr Bradbury, a former science lab technician has been teaching Chemistry at Whitehaven Academy since 2013.
He said: “It was a pleasure to attend the reception at Number 10 on Monday evening, celebrating the outstanding work of teachers across the country.
“The event recognised the importance of teachers in providing the best possible start to young people’s lives, regardless of their background or social status, something which I’m sure all of us who work with young people are immensely proud.
“It was thrilling to have conversations with the Secretary of State for Education and the Universities Minister, amongst others, and the occasion is one I shall remember for the rest of my life. I would like to thank Trudy Harrison MP for inviting me to such a wonderful celebration.”
Today, there are 15,500 more teachers than in 2010 while the quality of new entrants into the teaching profession is at an all-time high, with almost a fifth of new teachers starting this year holding a first-class degree.
Prime Minister, Theresa May said: “We know that the success of every young person, in whatever they go on to do in life, is shaped by the education they receive at school.
“That’s why I was delighted to welcome over a hundred teachers from across the country to Downing Street to celebrate their achievements and to thank them for the vital work they do day-in and day-out.
“We now have nearly two million more children being taught in schools that are good or outstanding compared with 2010, we’ve raised teacher numbers to record levels and we’re working with the profession on a new strategy to drive recruitment and boost retention.
“Teachers are key to making Britain the great meritocracy it can and should be, and I am committed to working with them so that every child has the best possible start in life.”
The Education Secretary has made it his top priority to ensure teaching remains an attractive and fulfilling profession.
Earlier this month, in a speech at the National Association of Head Teachers’ annual conference, he set out plans to boost early career support and development for teachers.
He also pledged to introduce more flexible working practices that will put the profession on a par with other industries, including a £5 million fund to help experienced teachers take a sabbatical.
Education Secretary Damian Hinds said: “Whenever I ask people about what they most remember from school, they always talk about the teacher who inspired them. There are no great schools without great teachers and the reception today is a small recognition of the incredible dedication and hard work we see day in, day out, across the teaching profession.
“We now have the most remarkably talented generation of teachers, and it was a pleasure to recognise the commitment and hard work of just some of the 457,000 teachers we have working in classrooms across the country to raise standards for pupils.”
