A Birmingham school’s Golden Jubilee celebrations had the best possible start when a teacher won £1,000 for the school in a competition.
Maths teacher Tara Carter was taken by surprise when Free Radio’s evening presenter Adam Wilbourn arrived at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Wychall Lane, Kings Norton.
Tara was presented with an award and certificate from Coventry-based training provider PET- Xi, who organised the competition on Free Radio to find out Birmingham’s favourite teacher, as well as a cheque for £1,000. The school is consulting with the students through their Junior Leadership Team to decide how the money will be spent.
She was nominated by year 11 student Charlotte Flynn, who is going to spend part of her £250 prize money on an iPhone, and Tara won the online competition after the school’s pupils were galvanised by maths teachers Katie Meally and Nadine Elliman to amass 597 votes.
Tara, whose children Milly (aged 12) and Daisy (13) attend St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School where she was also a pupil, said she had been amazed when her lesson had been interrupted by the Free Radio and PET- Xi staff.
“I didn’t find out I had been nominated until I was in the final three and I am really grateful to all the students for taking the time to vote,” she said.
“Charlotte is a fantastic pupil. She said on her nomination that she was predicted a B or C grade at GCSE maths but is now on target for an A grade and that I was her inspiration, but she has been an inspiration to me because of the amount of work that she has put in not just in maths.
“It is all down to her because she is also in my form and always goes the extra mile.
“We are celebrating 50 years as a school on Saturday, July 6 and we are trying to get as many past students and teachers to join us for the day to look around, enjoy some great memories, fine school food and fantastic music. So this is a great start!”
In Jo and Sparky’s Classroom Heroes competition on Free Radio with PET-Xi, the top teacher in the primary school category was won by Martin Hill at St Gerard’s RC Junior and Infant School in Yatesbury Avenue, Castle Vale, who will spend their £1,000 on playground renovations for the play area.
He was nominated by Libby Woolgrove, who is to spend her £250 on going out with her family and friends.
Chris Bryniarski, marketing executive at PET-Xi which runs GCSE and GCSE equivalent courses through intensive programmes across the region, said both teachers had been caught by surprise.
“It was fantastic to see their reaction and this has been a competition which has really caught the imagination of students across Birmingham,” he said.
“We work with teachers’ day in day out and we see the tremendous effort they put in to help young people succeed. Our competition was all about highlighting this commitment and celebrating both their success and how much they are appreciated.
“The money will make a real difference to both schools since it will benefit their students and this has been a great way to end their school years ahead of the summer holidays.”