Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Category sponsor: Bradford Teaching

Amy-Rose Bedford - Horton Grange Primary

AMY-Rose Bedford was nominated for the Newcomer award after becoming an “instant hit” with pupils and staff at Horton Grange Primary School.
The Year 1 teacher was nominated by colleague Jennie Matthews, who said: “Amy-Rose started with us on student placement and was an instant hit in our nursery. 
“Since then she has been working in Year 1 and is on the PE team amongst other things. Amy-Rose was so dedicated to the school and children of Bradford, that she spent two years travelling from Barnsley every day to come to school. She has recently moved to Bradford to better dedicate her time.
“Amy-Rose has shown outstanding resilience and determination to a tumultuous start to her teaching career and has never wavered from ensuring the children in our school learn to the best of their ability and beyond. She has a dogged determination to keep going, taking on board advice quickly to show immediate impact. 
“I am delighted to be able to nominate such a fantastic newcomer to the teaching profession and can’t wait to see her career develop further.”
Miss Bedford said she was inspired to join the profession by her mother, who works as a nursery nurse.

Natalie Gregory - Parkwood Primary

NATALIE Gregory, who works at Parkwood Primary in Keighley, was nominated for this category by school head Richard Ballantine.
She was placed at the school through the Bradford Birth to 19 SCITT.
Mr Ballantine said: “She began working at Parkwood as a teaching assistant in 2014. This was prior to starting as a trainee teacher in our nursery that September. She was a natural and made a real impact in our Early Years Foundation Stage. Natalie embodied our Parkwood values, building great relationships with children and families and enabling a great start for any child. 
“Due to staff changes, Natalie was then moved to do her NQT year in Key Stage 2. This was a massive change and a challenge , however Natalie tackled this with her positive can-do attitude and before the year was out her teaching was good and outstanding. She is now in her RQT year as a locally educated and trained teacher and a real success story. As an oracy hub school, that uses a mixed ability approach with ‘growth mindset’ at our centre, she is an advocate and example of all of these. She is organised, committed, focussed and completely believes in her children, thus making her classroom an inclusive and high achieving learning environment.”

Mohammed Wasim - St Oswald's C of E Primary

MOHAMMED Wasim, who recently started his teaching career at St Oswald’s CofE Primary School, has been shortlisted for Newcomer of the Year by the school’s head Gillian Wilson.
She praised his resilience – joining the school when it was in special measures, and for his work helping pupils with language issues. Her nomination form said: “He has demonstrated great resilience and determination to succeed through his first 18 months of becoming a teacher. 
“Prior to my appointment, he had been appointed as an NQT at the same time as the school being placed in special measures. He therefore joined the school in challenging circumstances. Mohammed never gave up. When I joined in April, he enthusiastically set about introducing all the new teaching and learning strategies and demonstrated a keen willingness to learn and a determination to succeed. He demonstrated an astute understanding of the needs of his children, and adapted the strategies to meet their needs. Through hard work, a willingness to ask questions and through being prepared to work outside of his comfort zone, in six months Mohammed has become a solidly good teacher with elements of outstanding in his practice. The positive impact Mohammed has had on the children is phenomenal.”