Three top Bradford teachers are preparing for this year’s national UK Teaching Awards.

Former headteacher Gloria Gott, current head David Jones and newly-qualified class teacher Caroline Baldwin were all named winners at this summer’s North of England Awards.

Their success ensured qualification for the national final which is set to take place at the London Palladium on Sunday before a 2,000-strong audience.

Screened on BBC2 from 6pm, it will be hosted by celebrity presenters Jeremy Vine and Myleene Klass. The Bradford trio will join winners from around Britain at the ceremony following an all-expenses trip to the capital and stay in a top hotel. All three will also attend a gala dinner with the awards founder, film director Lord Puttnam.

Mrs Gott, who will attend with husband Richard, retired in the summer after spending 23 years as headteacher at St John’s Primary School in Bierley, Bradford. During her time at the school, Mrs Gott, alongside deputy Richard Paley, notched up three consecutive “outstanding” Ofsted inspections.

She said: “We will be travelling down with staff from the school so we will be well represented. The fact that there are three of us in the final reflects very well on our schools and the city itself. Bradford gets so much bad press so it’s great to see. Hopefully Bradford will have a winner!”

Mrs Gott will compete for the national Ted Wragg Award for Lifetime Achievement.

Mr Jones has been named in the NCSL Primary School Head Teacher of the Year Award category.

He has led Holybrook Primary in Greengates, Bradford, since it was established in 2000. Pupils are encouraged to look to inspirational figures such as Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi as role models.

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”, including speaking out in the Telegraph and Argus about challenging housing conditions on the nearby Ravensliffe estate.

Mr Jones said he was “proud, honoured and a little embarrassed” but looking forward to the national final.

Miss Baldwin, 26, will compete for the SSAT Award for Outstanding New Teacher of the Year after being named North of England winner in the category.

She has been a qualified teacher for a year at Allerton Primary School. 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.”

Eleven category winners at Sunday’s event will receive the ultimate UK teaching accolade – a gold ‘plato’, the symbol of the awards.

Lord Puttman said: “Teachers deserve recognition for the difference they make to young lives.”

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