A BOLTON primary school teacher has made the final shortlist to win a national award.

Mrs Kira Redmond who teaches Year Five at St Peters C E Primary School in Farnworth was nominated for ‘Teacher of the Year in a Primary School’ at the Pearson National Teaching Awards (PNTA).

She was nominated by a parent.

Mrs Redmond, who has been at the school for seven years, has been described as “an incredible teacher and phenomenal role model with a heart of gold”, according the PNTA website, and parents report that she “radiates positivity and a thirst to succeed”.

The statement on the PNTA website adds: “Kira has been a hugely appreciated ray of sunshine and continuous support for the family of one particularly vulnerable, anxious, unhappy child.

“They describe her impact on their dyslexic, school-phobic son as life-changing for the whole family and as ‘breath-taking progression’.

“Her innovative Harry Potter-themed classroom design is known for its magical display of adventure, described by a parent as ‘a room beautifully content with magic, encouragement, learning, imagination, pride, laughter and love’.  

“It even inspired her dyslexic young student, a child who thought he would never be clever enough to finish a book, to read his first book from cover to cover, independently.”

The Bolton News: The presentation at the assemblyThe presentation at the assembly

Mrs Redmond has been awarded a Silver Award and is through to the final in London in November.

The school held an assembly with the news on Thursday morning on National Thank a Teacher Day.