Three Dartford educators have celebrated winning top honours at the Kent Teacher of the Year Awards.

Lucy Flack, from North Kent College, won the overall Kent Further Education/Vocational Teacher of the Year Award for her work supporting acting and technical theatre students.

Judges cited the range of opportunities open to her actors including overnight experiences at universities, entering the Brighton Fringe Festival, and creating highly-acclaimed and diverse productions.

Geography teacher Garry Simmons, of Wilmington Grammar School for Girls, was named Kent Secondary School Teacher of the Year for his “endlessly inventive” approach to the subject.

He also maintains close links to external organisations, shares best practice with neighbouring schools, and updates a lively Twitter feed packed with resources. Thomas Nyaku, from Dartford Science and Technology College, clinched the Kent Maths Teacher of the Year Award for going out of his way to support students and colleagues.

Mr Nyaku hosts after-school sessions for pupils, leads staff training in maths and science, and is a mentor for trainee teachers. He secured funding and developed a programme to raise aspirations and progress for Pupil Premium students.

Each overall champion received a trophy and framed certificate to display in school plus other prizes.

In addition Mr Simmons and Mr Nyaku each won a prize package donated by the University of Kent – a pair of tickets to an In Conversation event featuring University Chancellor Gavin Elser and a leading public figure, a bespoke experience day for a group of students, and a limited edition Monopoly game.

The University also awarded Mr Simmons membership to the Marlowe Theatre Friends in Canterbury and the Gulbenkian at the University of Kent.

District winners included Anna Reid from Dartford Primary Academy who was named the area’s Top Wellbeing Champion.

Altogether 50 district awards were presented to staff and teams at schools and colleges across the county with 22 winners crowned the county’s best.

The event was organised by children’s educational charity the KM Charity Team.

Visit KentTeacherOfTheYear.co.uk or KmCharityTeam.co.uk for more information.

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