OKEHAMPTON Primary School has a new star in its midst with a teaching assistant who has won a prestigious award.

Jo Daniel, a Year 2 teaching assistant, has won the Ted Wragg Award for Outstanding Trainees — an award given by the University of Exeter’s Graduate School of Education to students undertaking their PCGE or school’s direct scheme degree.

Recipients of the award are judged on their year as a trainee rather than any entry requirement so that everyone is judged equally.

Winners are those who demonstrate good subject knowledge, as well as excellent communication and people skills during their training.

Ms Daniel has worked at Okehampton Primary School since 2004 as a teaching assistant, having completed a degree in education at Plymouth University. She then chose to advance her skills at Exeter University and became a higher level teaching assistant.

Headteacher of Okehampton Primary, Hazel Fox, said: ‘We’re all tremendously proud of Jo‘s achievements this year. She’s been so eager to learn and I know she passes on this enthusiasm to her pupils.

‘We think she has a very exciting career ahead of her’.

Ms Daniel said that she received a lot of support from both her mentors and her colleagues at Okehampton Primary School. She went on to praise the course, saying that the combination of learning at Exeter University and time spent at the primary school made for a thorough understanding of the skills required.

She added: ‘It’s a fantastic opportunity for a hands on teaching experience.’

Article by Allie Guy. Picture by James Bird.