Mrs Anna Davies
Teaching Awards 2008 Winner
The BT Award for Teacher of the Year in a Primary School in South East of England
Drapers Mills Primary School, MARGATE
This teacher is a true miracle worker. She works in an extremely challenging school where, as assistant head, has been instrumental in pioneering a new way of grouping pupils so that children now work in sets based around their differing learning styles. This has been great for motivating reluctant learners. One mother says her two sons “feel normal at last.”
Under this system Anna has taken responsibility for a class of struggling Year Five boys, all of whom prefer active, hands-on learning. These are pupils who have never known school success, and whose behaviour can be challenging, but by constantly seeking exciting and practical ways to teach them, she has helped them to turn them on to schooling.
Anna uses stickers and house points to boost self-esteem and confidence, and plans an individual learning and support programme for every child. She works closely with her learning assistants and liaises frequently with parents, so that everyone is on board with her approach of individualised learning coupled with lashings of praise and encouragement. One parent describes her as “very nice and very kind.”
As a result, boys whose behaviour has always been a problem have come to realise they can be a credit to themselves and the school. “I’m learning!” they say, when asked what they are doing.
Anna also works closely with the school’s pastoral team and the special needs coordinator to make sure vulnerable pupils get all the help they need.
She is closely involved with the general management of the school, and monitors teaching and learning. She coaches and mentors teachers, and has played a crucial role in transforming behaviour in school. Yet she also finds time to study for a professional headship qualification.
In addition, she runs a popular musical theatre club in school and has studied how to help children write an opera. She is also active in many of the school’s charity, environmental and community projects.
