Inspirational teacher wins award for Excellence in Special Needs Education

An inspirational teacher has won a national award for her outstanding commitment to changing the lives of the children they work with every day.

Amy Stimpson, Assistant Headteacher Inclusion and SENDCO at Meridian High, a member of GLF Schools, was selected from thousands of nominations to win a Pearson National Teaching Silver Award for Excellence in Special Needs Education.

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​She was described by her colleagues as a caring, compassionate leader who advocates for the students and their parents, and she has worked relentlessly in developing the excellent SEND provision at the New Addington secondary school through the work that she has done with students, staff and the community.

Reacting to her award, Amy said: "I feel overwhelmed and exhilarated to have won the silver award. Although I was nominated, I am accepting the award on behalf of the team - everything we do is for the students."

Amy started at the school as a HLTA (higher level teaching assistant) in supporting SEND students with language and literacy before then spending time in gaining qualified teacher status and has led on whole school language and literacy development as a lead practice.

Through her nine years at Meridian, her dedication to SEND education has been shown to be second to none and she is flourishing as an Assistant Headteacher responsible for inclusion and inclusive practice across the school. Amy has made, and continues to make, a difference to the lives of all the students and families she works with.

Gemma Singleton, Assistant Headteacher, said: "It was easy to nominate Amy due to the impact she has had and the continued success of Pinnacle and adaptive teaching practice for SEND and supporting our SEND students."

Amy has now been shortlisted to win one of 16 Gold Awards, which will be announced and celebrated at a gala ceremony in London on 25 November and televised on the BBC, with winners showcased on The One Show.

The honours were announced yesterday on National Thank a Teacher Day, an annual event celebrating the role of educators across the UK for the valued role they play in communities and shaping young people.

Meridian High's headteacher Amy Anderson was also highly commended in the National Headteacher of the Year in the Pearson National Teaching Awards.

Amy said: "I feel so proud to have received Highly Commended in the Headteacher of the year category which is reflective of the whole team and the journey we have been on together. It is lovely to have been nominated and be recognised for the work that we have done."

Laura Cripps, GLF's Pedagogy & Practice Trust Lead, added: "The school deserves this recognition for the exceptional inclusive environment it provides where children are at the heart of everything they do."

The Pearson National Teaching Awards is an annual celebration of excellence in education run by the Teaching Awards Trust, an independent charity now in its 25th year, that recognises the life-changing work that takes place in education, highlighting the vital role educators play and the work that’s delivered in schools and colleges every day.
 
Michael Morpurgo, author, former Children’s Laureate, and President of the Teaching Awards Trust, says: “I am inspired by the devotion of teachers and the huge impact they have on the lives of the young people they tutor, support, encourage and motivate day in and day out.

"The valuable role they play both inside and outside the classroom has inspired generations of young people across the country to achieve their potential. I am delighted to congratulate the winners of the 2023 Awards and thank them all for the amazing contributions they have made to our communities.”

Sharon Hague, Senior Vice President of Schools at Pearson UK, adds: “We would like to congratulate today’s Silver winners on their incredible achievements. We can’t underestimate the huge contribution schools make to our young people’s lives and Amy Stimpson is an inspiring example of the positive impact an individual can have on pupils and communities.”

Matt Waring, Education and B2B Channel Manager at Logitech, sponsor of The Award for Excellence in Special Needs Education, concluded: “On a daily basis, outstanding educators play a critical role in fostering the potential of students across the UK and nowhere is this more important than in special needs education.  We take great pleasure in recognising this contribution through our association with the Pearson National Teaching Awards. Congratulations to [award recipient] on this outstanding recognition.”