STAFFLEX is Huddersfield’s leading independent recruitment company and is delighted to sponsor the award for Teacher of the Year for the fourth time this year.

Stafflex provide and promote the use of temporary engineering, industrial and commercial staff to local industry.

In these uncertain times, Stafflex believes that the use of temporary skilled and unskilled labour can take the heat out of human resource problems by providing a flexible, fit-for-purpose workforce when needed for as long as required.

In particular, the education division of Stafflex is proud to be a provider of supply teachers and support staff to local schools and colleges.

Stafflex provides a personal service to schools and staff alike and will always go the extra mile to put the right teacher in the right placement.

The 24/7 hotline 01484 351010 is always available for emergency placements.

We at Stafflex have nothing but admiration for the skill and commitment existing throughout schools in Kirklees and consider ourselves privileged to be able to deal positively with such consummate professionals on a daily basis.

We can’t wait to meet the next teacher of the year.

LINDLEY teacher Alison North’s passion for singing has hit the right note both locally and nationally.

Alison, a teacher at Lindley Junior School since 1997, has made singing in a choir not only acceptable to local schoolchildren, but positively “cool”.

She has tirelessly worked to rejuvenate Huddersfield’s choral tradition among young people as well as inspiring adults to take up singing.

Alison, who has sung for as long as she can remember, set up the amazingly successful Lindley Choir and the Training Choir in 1999, followed by the 120-strong Boys’ Choir and last year the adult Lindley Community Choir.

The school’s Lindley Choir has developed a national reputation, winning the BBC Songs of Praise Choir of the Year in 2008 and reaching the semi-finals again last month.

Last year the choristers performed in front of thousands at the International Eisteddfod in Wales and have been invited to sing again this July.

Parent David Burley – whose two sons have sung in the choir – said: “The Lindley Choir has been on an unbelievable journey since its inception. Alison has worked miracles with ordinary kids and turned them into one of the most respected, talented and quite exceptional junior choirs in the country.

“Inspiring young people is a gift that Alison has. She has given them so much more than singing lessons. The children gain confidence and self-esteem and it’s incredible that she continues to take them to new heights.”

Alison, who sang in a semi-professional acapella group for 14 years, said: “Music has always been a part of my life. In a choir people can experience the sheer joy of singing together and producing something quite special.

“There is a buzz about singing in school – it’s cool! There is huge pride about being in all of the choirs.

“I am absolutely thrilled and flattered to be nominated.

“It is a great honour and I am very grateful for it.”

INNOVATIVE teacher Adrienne Dewhirst is helping teenagers to tackle sensitive issues with a pioneering programme of lessons.

Adrienne, who teaches at Newsome High School and Sports College, has gained the respect and admiration of pupils and health professionals alike for her Relationships and Sexual Health (RASH) programme.

The 58-year-old has also made a big impact at the school with the introduction of the Child Development GCSE, which she teaches.

For the last three years she has organised an innovative crèche which has allowed mothers to use the Newsome High gym while child development students learn to look after their children under supervision. A keen runner herself, she has also set up a cross country enrichment club.

Her RASH classes tackle a range of tricky subjects such as breast and testicular cancer, teenage pregnancy, contraception, abortion and domestic violence.

Students feel they can discuss them in a safe, embarrassment-free environment and the course has won praise from visiting health professionals and Ofsted inspectors.

Adrienne, who has taught in Kirklees since 1981, said: “It is extremely important that students have the facts about these relationship and sexual issues so that they can make informed decisions.

“Students enjoy these lessons. Some are embarrassed to ask their parents and are more likely to ask questions in a formal setting.”

Adrienne was nominated by two of her Year 11 pupils, Chloe Armitage and Siobhan d’Arcy.

Chloe said: “Mrs Dewhirst is a kind and considerate teacher. Whenever I have a problem I feel like I can talk to her about anything and she is always there to help. She’s the sort of person who will get involved in almost anything if it benefits the students or charity.”

Siobhan added: “Mrs Dewhirst has helped me complete all my course work to meet the deadlines. She also brings positivity to the lessons and I feel like she is there for me if I want to speak to someone”.

SPORT For All is the motto of dedicated teacher Amelia Oldham.

Amelia devotes much of her spare time to organising and running extra curricular activities for the 225 pupils at South Crosland Junior School.

The list of sports reads like a timetable for the Olympic Games and includes tennis, football, netball, hockey, badminton, handball and gymnastics to name but a few.

Many of her evenings are given up to run the school’s sports clubs or to be involved in other activities which include cheerleading, dodgeball, zumbatomic, breakfast club and gardening club.

Her passion and enthusiasm are infectious and have spread to the children. Now 99% of them are involved in a sporting activity at the school

Thirty-year-old Amelia, who is in her sixth year at the school, said: “We absolutely love sport up here. We can’t get enough of it – it’s fab!”

Her selfless work and drive have been recognised nationally. South Crosland Juniors has just become the first school in Kirklees to achieve the Quality in Study Support’s (QiSS) established standard for the quality and range of their extra curricular activities.

Staff have now set their sights on the ultimate accolade which is the Advanced award.

Amelia was nominated by Jeanette Battye from Netherton, whose daughter, Emily, is a Year 5 pupil at the school.

She said: “Miss Oldham has shown exceptional commitment to organising sports and the after-school clubs within the school.

“Emily now participates in numerous after-school activities, including tennis, football, cricket, rugby, netball and hockey. Without Miss Oldham’s drive all these activities would not be possible.

“The children have really benefited from them and I feel proud that we have someone like this within our local school.”

Amelia added: “I was really surprised and incredibly flattered to be nominated. It is so lovely to know that the children do enjoy it so much, but it is really a staff effort by everybody.”