NOT many teachers get top marks from their students.

But music teacher Sam Flanagan’s pupils think he’s pretty cool.

For when the school bell rings at the end of the day, Sam transforms from lecturer to DJ, playing to 5,000 clubbers every weekend.

The 29-year-old DJ has held a resident slot at Blackburn’s Live Lounge for the past 18 months and now he has been snapped up by one of the country’s largest music events, Propaganda.

He was spotted earlier this month by DJ Dan, the founder of Propaganda and Noel Gallagher’s warm-up tour DJ.

And now the Blackburn father-of-one has become the first DJ from outside London to join the roster, which sees guest sets from the likes of Lily Allen, Kaiser Chiefs and Pendulum.

Already the Witton-born producer has played for the indie club-night at some of the largest venues in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Sheffield, and this weekend he’ll be taking his decks to Dublin.

He is regularly sharing the turntables with top DJs, including Radio One’s Zane Lowe, Nick Grimshaw and Edith Bowman.

And in the coming months Sam is pencilled in to do a set with Ellie Goulding.

But it’ll be hard to top a recent meeting with Sam’s all time DJing hero, Mark Ronson.

“I have followed him for years and to meet him was immense,” said Sam, who teaches music technology at Bury College.

“It was on one of the big nights we do. There’s always big names in the world of entertainment that come down and one night it was Mark.”

The former St Mary’s College pupil added: “He was really kind. He signed something for me.

"It said ‘To Sam — one of the best DJs I have heard, from Mark Ronson'.

"He might have just been being kind but it was great, and I have got the paper at home in pride of place.

“I have always followed his style and for him to give me that kind of recognition was amazing.

“The whole experience of being with Propaganda so far has been brilliant.

"It was a bit surreal are first and I just sort of kept my head down.

"There’s nothing like playing to your home town where you can see your friends in the crowd and for years I’ve been playing to my mates in Blackburn to about 200 people but now it’s more like 3,000 with Propaganda, and I’m loving it.”

Patt Nazemi, Propaganda promotional manager, said Sam stood out from the hundreds of budding DJs who contact the company.

“Sam rocks it. He isn’t intimidated by the big crowds we play to,” said Patt, who DJs for Propaganda under the pseudonym The Postman.

“Sam brings something different and somewhat of an edge to what we do.

“We like that he’s a northerner. It brings a grittier style to what he does. He’s definitely a keeper,” he added.

Sam, who has one son, two-year-old Alfie, has been DJing since he was 16.

As a DJ playing a mix of dance and indie, he played his first sets at The Cellar Bar, Blackburn, where he quickly gained a local fanbase.

Obtaining a degree in Commercial Music Production means that Sam also compiles his own bootlegs, remixes and mash-ups, many of which have been played on the radio around the world.

Radio One DJ Colin Murray has regularly championed his work and was once quoted as saying “The boy is a genius.”

But it wasn’t until Sam sent a mix tape to the people at Propaganda that he was able to kickstart his national DJing career.

“I just emailed one of the main guys at Propaganda and he said just send me something from your set to see if it's what we like.

"I did it that evening and he said he wanted to meet me.

"We played together and he said 'I know you love your residency in your home town but I want you to work for us full-time and it could give you a really good platform for the future.'

“I was sad to leave the Live lounge. They’re such a good team.

"I’ve been working in and around Blackburn with them for years.

"I will do the occasional midweek night, and I might do something over Christmas.

“I am having such a good time though and it really is a great opportunity.

“Over the summer the boss has mentioned they do Ibiza Rocks so, fingers crossed, I’ll get to go there, and V Festival has been suggested too. Hopefully next year’s my year.”

* Visit www.thepropaganda.com to find Sam’s club night sets. Sam plays Live Lounge, Blackburn, as a special guest on on Wednesday November 24.