A woman who has taught at the same village school for the whole of her classroom career was today named Yorkshire's Teacher of the Year.

Jean Longfellow, 56, was due to collect the award today, cheered on by children from the reception class at Calverley CE Primary School, who are travelling with her to the Sheffield award ceremony.

Mrs Longfellow, pictured, will go home with a £2,000 prize for the school and represent Yorkshire at the national awards in October.

Maureen Mason, her headteacher, said: "A parent nominated her because she had been so impressed with the start her child had had at our school.

"Jean has been at the school all her teaching career - she began as a young teacher in the 1960s and then took a career break to bring up her children.

"She has been back here 16 years.

"Although she has been in one place, she has never let anything stand still and she's always innovating and trying new ideas."

Mrs Mason added that Mrs Longfellow's colleagues treasure her because she throws herself 100 per cent into school life - supporting PTA events and organising the annual spring fair.

Among her many jobs she takes work experience pupils under her wing and is even in charge of keeping pot plants and wall displays looking good.

Mrs Longfellow modestly put her success down to "a team effort".

"The children keep you going here, because no two days are the same," she said.

Two other teachers from the Bradford district were commended.

Sharon Johnson, 49, teaching assistant at Threshfield Primary School near Skipton, has worked there for 11 years - originally as a dinner lady. "I love everything about the job," she said.

At Menston Primary School, IT co-ordinator and Year Four teacher Nicola Pettie was also commended in the Teacher of the Year category. The 29-year-old won praise from acting head-teacher Shirley Dobson.

"She's very hard-working and organised and so caring with the children, particularly two children in her class with special needs," she said.

The Teaching Awards, sponsored by BT, are known as the Platos and are in their third year.

Hundreds of teachers were nominated from across the region and were judged by an awards panel of representatives from the education community, including previous winners.