A LEARNING support assistant was in total shock after being announced Newcomer of the Year at the Telegraph & Argus Bradford & District Education Awards.

Caroline Wombewell, who works at Crossflatts Primary School, loves helping children thrive.

After starting in the role last September, she has excelled in making pupils and staff happier each day.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Mrs Wombewell was overwhelmed with emotion as she was welcomed on to stage.Mrs Wombewell was overwhelmed with emotion as she was welcomed on to stage.

"I am absolutely over the moon. I just cannot believe it," Mrs Wombewell said.

"I thought I was up against fellow LSAs then I found out I was nominated alongside newly qualified teachers.

"I have done one to ones for five years. I just love working with children and watching them thrive.

"I am always happy and smiling. You have got to smile in the morning to make them happy. The school I work at is unbelievable.

"I am a team player and try help everybody. Even when I clean the offices I am always asking people if they want a cup of tea, that is my first port of call.

"I was so chuffed to be nominated. I did not think for one minute that I would win."

When detailing her day-to-day duties, she added: “I come into school at 7.15am in the morning and do the breakfast club.

“At 8.30am I come up to class. If there’s any preparing to be done for the lessons and sticking in books, whatever needs doing to help the teacher do that.

“The register is taken and then we get straight into our learning.

“We work on a carousel system. I do various roles - one day it’ll be Maths, one day it’ll be English. I listen to the children read."

Adam Ewbank (Ilkley Grammar School) and Charlotte Preston (Blakehill Primary School) were the other candidates in this category.