Belfast high school teachers in the running to be Teacher of the Year

A number of Dundonald High School teachers have been nominated in a national Teacher of the Year competition, led by Miconex and sponsored by group collecting platform GiftRound.

The Teacher of the Year competition has £1,250 in Belfast City Centre Gift Cards as a possible prize. The Belfast City Centre Gift Card, an initiative funded by the Belfast Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), Belfast One, Destination CQ and Linen Quarter, can be spent with over 220 businesses in the city.

Teachers from a variety of departments at the high school have been nominated in the competition, including English, history, PE, science, Princes Trust and modern foreign languages.

A parent who nominated a teacher from Dundonald High School in the competition said: “My son went through a hard time with his mental health and his teacher went above and beyond to help him with his work but also making sure he knew her door was always open for a cup of tea and a chat. Everyone goes to this teacher for a yarn, she is like the mum of the school. Her attitude, enthusiasm and passion makes the children want to learn, to go to school and be the best version of themselves.

“Lots of children missed a huge chunk of their education as well as time with friends because of the pandemic and I think it has played a part in the deterioration of their mental health. Before the pandemic, my son was always the joker, and the life and soul of any gathering. My son’s teacher made him realise that what he’s going through is completely normal, even though it probably doesn’t feel that way to him, and that probably many of his friends are going through similar things but don’t talk about it.

“When it’s parents’ evening, this teacher will always have a long queue of parents to see her. She’s so bubbly and has a really positive way about her. Even if kids aren’t doing as well, she’ll approach it in the sense of ‘this is what we’re going to do to turn things around’. The kids all love her, they know that they can have a joke but then it’s time to get down to work.

“As well as supporting my son, his teacher said that if I ever needed to talk, she was there. I have a good support network but sometimes being able to talk to someone outside of your network is really helpful. And for me, knowing that this teacher is there for my son at school, when I’m not there, really means the world. Every school should have a teacher like this.”

Another parent who nominated a Dundonald High School teacher in the competition said: “This teacher has gone above and beyond to help all her pupils but especially those with additional needs. She is an engaging, energetic teacher who really cares.”

Rosemary Bird, the Vice Principal of Dundonald High school said: “It is wonderful to see the hard work, empathy and passion of staff in the school acknowledged by so many. All staff in Dundonald work tirelessly to ensure that all pupils in their care feel valued, safe and secure. By having a holistic approach to education, the school believes that all pupils should be supported to not only meet but exceed their potential, not just academically but emotionally and mentally as well.

"To become valued contributors to society, people who embrace diversity, celebrate the success of others and have the resilience and integrity to understand that the problems they come across in their lives are not insurmountable but are merely challenges to be overcome. Congratulations to an incredible team.”

Other N.I schools receiving nominations include Wellington College, Greenwood Primary School, St Therese of Lisieux Primary School, St Ita’s Primary School and Currie Primary School.

It is free for people to nominate their Teacher of the Year and all types of teachers are eligible including primary and secondary school teachers, higher education teachers, early years teachers and special educational needs teachers in the UK. The Teacher of the Year competition runs until the 31st August 2024 and the winning teacher will be announced in September 2024.

The teacher who receives the most votes will be crowned as Teacher of the Year in the national competition. The Teacher of the Year, and their school, will each win a £500 Town & City Gift Card, such as the Belfast City Centre Gift Card. One person who nominated the Teacher of the Year will also win a £250 local gift card.

Wilson Walker, Chairperson Belfast One BID, said: “It’s fantastic to see nominations already coming in for this national Teacher of the Year competition for schools and teachers across the country. We’re fortunate to have many outstanding schools and teachers here, and look forward to seeing more nominations come in for these amazing teachers.”

Damien Corr, Managing Director Destination CQ, added: “This story shows how appreciated and valued teachers are, and the huge impact they have on children’s lives. Congratulations to the teachers at Dundonald High School for their nominations.”

Chris McCracken, Managing Director Linen Quarter BID, said: “With the end of the school term fast approaching, now is the ideal time to show thanks and appreciation for a teacher by nominating them to be Teacher of the Year. It takes just two minutes to nominate your Teacher of the Year, and there is a fantastic prize on offer.”

Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said: “Our Teacher of the Year competition is designed to shine a light on the teachers who are going above and beyond to educate and inspire young people, making a positive impact on pupils, their schools and their community.”

The Teacher of the Year competition is sponsored by group collecting platform GiftRound. Founded in 2018, GiftRound gives people an easy way to collect money for various occasions, including end of term gifts. Town & City Gift Cards are available to buy on the GiftRound store.

Craig Forsythe, CEO and founder at GiftRound, said: “We’re delighted to sponsor the Teacher of the Year competition so we can bring recognition to the many hard working teachers across the UK and Ireland. Teachers’ gifts are amongst the most popular collections on GiftRound so we know how appreciated teachers are by parents and children.

"We hope that people take this opportunity to nominate a teacher that has made a positive impact on their child’s education or their school community, and we look forward to celebrating with the winner of the Teacher of the Year in September.”

Nominate a teacher in the Teacher of the Year competition at teacheroftheyear.co.uk