Clitheroe teaching assistant stunned by ‘totally unexpected’ award

A teaching assistant who described herself as “just a small piece in a large jigsaw” has been named the UK’s secondary school Teaching Assistant of the Year.

Liz Goldsbrough has been part of the learning support team at the Ribblesdale School in Clitheroe, Lancashire, for eight years.

She said she had “no idea” about the award, handed out annually by UK-based staffing agency Teaching Personnel, until she turned up to a school meeting, and was presented with it in a “really, really proud and totally unexpected” moment.

The school , which teaches pupils from age 4 to 16, said her “dedication, compassion, and unwavering support have a lasting impact on our students and staff every single day”.

Ms Goldsbrough has been a teaching assistant for 25 years after initially volunteering in her daughter’s primary school and works one-to-one or in small groups to support special needs students achieve their best.

She said: “I do really enjoy it. I love being with the pupils and I love the reaction when they ‘get it’ and I love it when we can celebrate their success with them.”

“You can go from students who come in and say they can’t read, and to see them wanting to read out in class, where previously the wouldn’t want to, is absolutely amazing,” she said.

The role is varied and she could go from Year 11 math to Year 7 sport the next lesson getting “a taste of everything across the curriculum”.

Ms Goldsbrough was nominated by her colleague Hannah Murphy, a special needs co-ordinator at the school.

Hundreds of schools across the UK sent their nominations to a panel of judges at Teaching Personnel, which decides on the eventual winners.

“This year’s theme was ‘Making Every Page Count’,” Ms Murphy said, “so it was to honour teaching assistants that focus their work on reading and literacy support – and this is an area that Liz is instrumental in.”

“Hundreds of schools nominate staff and I could not be prouder to work with Liz,” she said.

“The support staff are the backbone and the heart of what happens day to day in the school.

“You have to be really adaptable, you have to be able to think on your feet and sometimes change what you’re doing dynamically.”

She said Ms Goldsbrough “works so hard every single day, the work she does is truly transformative”.

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