WHEN she is not helping pupils at Wycliffe CE Primary develop their artistic flair and skills, Karen Palmer is busy in the community building a love of art for local people and supporting local events.

Kathryn Wills, deputy headteacher at Wycliffe, put Mrs Palmer forward for the award.

She said: “Karen is out art teacher, and she is a complete example of someone who goes the extra mile.

“This is someone who is nearing the end of quite a long teaching career, and she is still really giving her absolute all to everybody.”

As well as teaching art in the school and community, Mrs Palmer also enters a number of local and national art competitions, and is an avid supporter of Saltaire Festival.

Mrs Palmer said: “It’s really nice to be recognised, especially in the latter years of my teaching.

“I always put myself forward and do extra to provide the best possible learning experience I can for the children.

“I will stop teaching when I feel like I’m not doing a great job, as I will be letting the children down, so I will keep going until then.

“To be a good teacher you need to be able to find your inner child, and I really enjoying doing art alongside the children.”