Three talented Bradford teachers were celebrating today after being named stars of education throughout the north of England.

Head teachers Gloria Gott and David Jones and newly-qualified class teacher Caroline Baldwin all scooped major awards at the north of England Teaching Awards 2008 – bringing more than a quarter of the 11 awards up for grabs back to Bradford.

Mrs Gott, head at St John’s Primary in Bierley for the past 23 years, received the prestigious Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement.

When she arrived at the Dawson Lane school more than two decades ago it was unpopular and struggling.

Now, despite serving an area that faces many challenges, it is thriving. In September last year, Ofsted showered the school and Mrs Gott with praise in an inspection report which gave St John’s an overall ranking of outstanding and claimed “words alone could not do justice” to its excellence. Under her leadership, the school has also gained the top rating on two previous occasions.

At the awards ceremony in Sheffield yesterday, a delighted Mrs Gott said: “I am so excited – this is the pinnacle of my career. Two fantastic things have happened in the past year: the Ofsted report and now this.

“All our staff are wonderful as well as our governing body. This award is testament to the hard work and commitment of the entire team.”

During her time at the school, Mrs Gott has mastered school finances to such an extent that she often advises other schools on financial management. Staff at the school yesterday paid tribute to her dedication and said she was a “wonderful leader who always supported them and helped them develop”.

Meanwhile, Mr Jones received the NCSL Award for Head Teacher of the Year in the primary sector. He has led Holybrook Primary in Greengates, Bradford, since it was established in 2000. Like St John’s, Holybrook holds an Ofsted outstanding ranking.

Many pupils are growing up in challenging circumstances on the Ravenscliffe estate, however Teaching Awards judges paid tribute to Mr Jones’s desire to go “to any length to tackle under-performance and create a positive and nurturing climate”.

Mr Jones said he was “proud, honoured and a little embarrassed” to receive the award and added: “I feel quite emotional about this because three years ago I had a heart attack. Thankfully they found out what the problem was and Bradford Royal Infirmary put me back together but you do then expect that you might not be able to give your all. I now feel I can give everything.”

Caroline Baldwin, a reception class teacher at Allerton Primary, picked-up the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year.

Miss Baldwin, 26, has been a qualified teacher for a year. Of her pupils she said: “If you put your imagination into teaching children they will learn. “You have to make them want to learn, make it effortless for them. If they read and experience and are taught in a way they understand, they will learn and it will be fun.”

The school’s head teacher Sharon Lambert said: “She is the most gifted practitioner I have ever seen.” Councillor Colin Gill, the Council’s executive member for services to children and young people, said: “These awards are fantastic achievements and I congratulate the winners.

All three will now attend the UK finals of the Teaching Awards 2008 at the London Palladium on October 19.

e-mail: dan.webber @telegraphandargus.co.uk