Claire's kids just love their Shakespeare

INTRODUCING Shakespeare to children as young as four as led to Claire Stickland being named the region's top teacher

Judges in the Pearson Teaching Awards were impressed after hearing how the 29-year-old brought the Bard’s work to life for children as young as four.

The innovative lessons helped to land her the title of Primary School Teacher of the Year for the north of England and she is in now in line for a national prize.

Claire, who is deputy head at Anston Park Primary, said that her classes had loved exploring Shakespeare’s work, particularly A Midsummer Night’s Dream, from which they will perform scenes at Rotherham Children’s Festival later this summer.

“We’re doing the parts with all the fairies, which is fantastic for firing the kids’ imaginations,” she said. “They are just buzzing with ideas and the classes are so much fun.”

Claire was picked as the region’s top primary teacher after being nominated by a pupil and visited at school by a panel of judges, who heard how she had gone from being a newly-qualified teacher to deputy head and Foundation Stage co-ordinator.

“I really love my job and to win an award doing something you love is just brilliant.”

Head teacher Amanda Kelly described Claire as “a credit to her profession.”

She added: “We’re all thrilled to bits for her.

“Claire has been heavily involved in working with the children on Shakespeare, which is the first time we’ve ever had such young children doing his plays.

“She was nominated by one of the pupils who had really enjoyed those lessons.

“For her to have gone from being newly qualified to where she is now is just incredible.

“You could tell at the start that she had the feel for the job and real enthusiasm but it’s nice to see how she has grown.

“More than 22,000 teachers were nominated for these awards so it is amazing that she has done so well and it’s a real feather in the cap for the school.”

Claire will go to the star-studded national Pearson Teaching Awards ceremony in London on Sunday, October 30, when the overall winners will be revealed.