WHAT better way to celebrate a silver jubilee in teaching than by winning a top educational award?

That was the reward awaiting Sharron Hardman on Monday (June 18) when she received the Award for Excellence in Special Needs Teaching at the North West Teaching Awards Ceremony.

Miss Hardman (47) has taught at Gorsefield County Primary School on Robertson Street for the past 12 years, and before that she was at Wesley Methodist Primary School for 13 years.

"I was nominated by a parent back in March and to be honest, just to be nominated was satisfaction enough. It made me feel very humble and privileged to know that someone had taken the trouble," she said. But Miss Hardman said that she was "shell shocked" when she was announced the winner at the special ceremony held in Liverpool.

Established by the Teaching Awards Trust, the awards publicly acknowledge and celebrate the crucial role that teachers play.

Radcliffe-born Miss Hardman said: "I have always taught special needs pupils in mainstream schools. It is rewarding because it's a way of making a difference in inclusive education. I am disabled myself and I don't believe in segregation."

Besides being presented with the award by BBC presenter Alan Jackson, Miss Hardman also received a £2,000 cash grant for Gorsefield.

She will now be entered for the national awards in October where she could win a further £15,000 for her school.

Mrs Deirdre Taylor of Elms Bank Community High Special School in Whitefield was also recognised in the ceremony. She received a special commendation in the category of Learning Support Assistant of the Year and was given £250 for her school.