Teacher from Hornchurch Branded best in Britain
AN “outstanding” teacher, from Hornchurch, will be hitting our TV screens after winning a prestigious national award.
Rachel Dixon, who joined Ripple Primary School in Barking eight years ago, scooped the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Award for Teacher of the Year 2010.
The 37-year-old transformed exam results at the school, staged musicals and formed an award-winning samba band – Escola de Samba.
The band, which performed at the Royal Albert Hall last October, played at the celebrity-packed ceremony on Monday as she picked up her gong.
Rachel was told she had won the coveted prize last month
“I was rehearsing when I noticed the kids weren’t paying any attention to me,” she sad. “I looked around and hip hop group N-Dubz were there.
They presented me with the award, which came as a complete shock.”
Most Read
- 1 Hornchurch ranked top place in UK for takeaway fish and chips, study finds
- 2 Man threatened and robbed of iPhone and bank card at Romford station
- 3 Several hectares of Rainham grassland destroyed in fire
- 4 London among areas where drought is declared
- 5 Appeal to find missing girl, 16, with links to Romford
- 6 Launch events held for businesses targeted at the ‘more mature raver’
- 7 'What about vulnerable people?’: Couple protest parking ticket from Gallows Corner Tesco after alleged ‘double dipping’ issue
- 8 Road closures in place after Romford flat fire
- 9 ‘Great response’ in Romford at its inaugural World Naked Bike Ride event
- 10 The Bitter End: Former Romford pub for sale again, with draft plan indicating it could be turned into 35 flats
Rachel says she “loves” her job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. “The children are such massive personalities and the staff I work with are wonderful. I hope to stay at Ripple for years to come.”
Headteacher, Roger Mitchell said: “She is truly outstanding in the classroom.
“I can’t think of anyone more deserving.”
As the school’s literacy co-ordinator, she has almost doubled SAT results in English, from 43 per-cent in 2003 to 82 per-cent in 2008.
The awards will be screened tomorrow night (Wednesday November 10) at 8pm on ITV1.
