Master of maths

Head of Mathematics at Wetherby Senior, Mr Astbury-Palmer has just been recognised by this prestigious awards body – part of the Teaching Awards Trust and seen as the Oscars of the teaching profession – within the secondary school teacher of the year category.

Acknowledging Mr Astbury-Palmer’s hard work and dedication to maths education was acclaimed author, Michael Morpurgo. As president of the Teaching Awards Trust, he sent an inspiring message to Mr Astbury-Palmer: “I am writing to you to congratulate you and to thank you. For a child, to have a great teacher like you is so important. You open doors, shine a light. You spend your working life passing on to children all that you know and love. Your devotion to them, to colleagues, to the school has been extraordinary.

“If I had a trumpet to blow or bells to ring out, then that would be wonderful. But I have only this pen and these words to celebrate your achievements, to express my admiration. So, bravo you, bravo!”

Mr Astbury-Palmer was nominated for this high-profile award by Wetherby Senior alumnus, Henry, who is now studying at Imperial College London. Henry was full of praise for Mr Astbury-Palmer, saying: “Mr Astbury-Palmer’s teaching style is flexible: he is patient when it comes to explaining difficult concepts and is aided by his brilliant sense of humour, which makes mathematics tangible and fun for all.

“He creates a friendly and supportive classroom atmosphere, where there is mutual respect for the teacher and for fellow pupils. This creative approach to generating enthusiasm for the subject is what motivates pupils and contributes to a strong team spirit, wherein each pupil feels driven to achieve high marks to satisfy themselves and to contribute to the class’s success.”

Mr Silvester, Wetherby Senior’s Headmaster, added: “Congratulations to Mr Astbury-Palmer on this very well deserved acknowledgement of his excellence. Mr Astbury-Palmer’s enthusiasm, energy and positive attitude is inspiring to all – he gives our pupils the confidence to apply themselves and realise their potential, he is a fantastic leader of his department, and he is a great friend and colleague to all Wetherby Senior staff.”

The Pearson National Teaching Awards were set up to celebrate the impact of invaluable education within the UK. Run by the Teaching Awards Trust, and supported by Pearson and the BBC, they are the UK’s most prestigious celebration of transformational teaching.