GILL Edge, the co-head of Killinghall Primary School, and who has been a teacher in Bradford for 38 years, won the Leadership Award.

She has proved to be so successful as a school leader that she recently spoke at an education conference in China.

Picking up the award she said: “The children make it easy to get up every day and go to work.

“I have a fantastic team at the school. I’ve been teaching in Bradford for 38 years, but I still remember clearly being a newcomer.

“There isn’t a day goes by where I don’t love the job. The children of Bradford are a credit to us.”

During her time as head she has also been the co-chair of the Bradford Primary Improvement Partnership and a Senior Leader of Education.

In the past few months she has seen the school praised by Ofsted after their latest visit, and spoke to over 1,000 delegates at the China Future Schools Conference. She told the conference how software is used to provide feedback and assessment to her staff to help with their professional development and to raise standards.

After picking up the award she said: “The children make it all worthwhile, they make you want to go into work every day and do a good job.

“I’m really humbled to get this award. We’ll have to have an assembly on this to let the children know.”

She was nominated by her co-headteacher Claire Spencer, who said: “Gill is a truly inspirational headteacher who deserves special recognition. She has transformed the lives of so many children in our community.

“Despite continual demands from the Government to raise standards, Gill has never compromised her values and beliefs that all children deserve a quality education and that all schools should be inclusive.”

Honorary mentions:

David Maxwell - Beckfoot Oakbank

Adrian Kneeshaw - Carlton Bolling College